CSI Connecticut
by Michaelmas54
Summary: CSI Seattle sequel. Bella & Alice have started their own detective agency while Edward runs Masen Research. Their plan to live a quiet life collapses when the agency digs too deep into a case, Alice's past catches up with her & Edward's quest to find the mole in the lab means he suspects everyone. Murder, Revenge, Loyalty and Love, this story has it all. I hope you enjoy the ride x
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to the sequel to CSI Seattle.**

 **For those of you who read the original story a while ago and can't remember what happened, I have added another chapter to CSI Seattle which briefly recaps the relevant parts of the story for you, so you can refresh your memory, if yours, like mine, is rubbish!**

 **Setting the scene for CSI Connecticut; Bella, Jasper and Alice, (and Molly the cat), have moved from the West Coast to the East Coast and are now living with Edward, Carlisle and Esme in Uncle Anthony's lovely, rambling beach house. Bella and Alice have opened a detective agency as a bit of fun and Edward has inherited the Medical Research laboratory after Anthony's death, but he still hasn't found out who was willing to sell their research to a national newspaper. Esme's recovery is slow and she is unaware she's a vampire. Bella and Edward are still passionately in love, but Bella is missing her family and friends desperately.**

 **You are definitely in for an exciting and bumpy ride, as the detective agency puts a stick into a hornets' nest, Alice's past comes back to haunt her, and the mole in the laboratory is after a lot more than money. Also, and more importantly for those who like lemons, we find out why vampire loving is sooooooo much better than human loving!**

 **As always, these characters belong to Stephenie Meyer - I've just borrowed them to have lots of fun with.**

 **Strap yourself down (in a non-bondage way) and enjoy.**

 **Joan (aka Michaelmas54) xx**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE - BANG!**

 _ **Connecticut Special Investigations Office - on a cool December afternoon**_

* * *

"I'm bored, Alice!"

"Why?"

"It's too easy."

"What is?"

"Doing this job."

"Yeah, I know, but I can't help it if I solve our cases really quickly."

"I accept that, but at least you could string _some_ of the clients along for a bit."

"I suppose I could, but why bother? I mean take that asshole, Clem Baker, for instance. Anybody could see he was trying to set up a honey-trap."

"I couldn't."

"It was obvious, Bella. I didn't have to look five minutes into the future to see he was planning to shack up with a girl twenty years younger than himself."

"Okay, I suppose I could've guessed that when I saw him. Typical middle-aged guy with a fake tan, sports car and disco clothes, obviously in the middle of a mid-life crisis. But I would never have guessed he'd hired a Gigolo to pursue his wife to avoid paying alimony. What an asshole, asking us to get compromising photographs."

"Yup! A twenty-two carat asshole."

"Oh well, he got what he deserved."

"Yes, he did. Those were great 'compromising' photos you got of him with the bimbo. I just loved sending them anonymously to his wife."

"Hopefully she'll take him to the cleaners."

"She will; I've seen it. But would you believe he's actually grateful to me at the moment."

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"After the divorce, the bimbo would have fleeced him for everything. She's done this at least twice before to other guys. I found out she's a professional home wrecker and con-artist. The gigolo she recommended to Clem is actually her boyfriend and they work as a team. Yesterday I emailed Clem some background information on them, so he's had a very lucky escape."

"Wow!"

"He's still an asshole though, even though he paid his account with a bonus."

Bella smiled at Alice for a moment then got up from her desk and wandered over to the window to see if anything was happening outside on the street. The window glass she was looking through was clear on the inside but tinted on the outside to lessen the glare of the sun during the day and also to stop pedestrians from seeing in. It also masked the effect the sun's rays had on her's and Alice's skin, which was vital if they had visitors to the office when it was sunny.

It was just starting to get dark after a bright winter's day. The street outside was quiet for a Friday afternoon and only a few pedestrians walked past while Bella was standing there; none of whom bothered to glance at the nondescript offices that had the initials CSI etched on the windows and on the sturdy security door that could only be opened by a release system linked to the intercom. CSI's clients almost exclusively made first contact either through accessing their website or via word-of-mouth recommendation from satisfied customers. Only occasionally would passers-by wander in off the street to ask for help.

Bella glanced up at the sky that had been blue all day but was now turning a steely grey heralding a cold night to come. The wind had dropped considerably from this morning when they had left the house to travel to the office. A brisk and chilly easterly breeze had been buffetting the house overnight and the grasses on the dunes were still lying flat against the sand, unable to resist the power of the wind. It had been a perfect day for sailing though and Bella knew that Edward and Carlisle had been out on their brand new yacht, probably testing it to its absolute limit. Father and son had both been competent sailors before they were changed and now, using their enhanced abilities and abundant energy, they relished testing their skills on the open water, knowing that if the sea won the battle, their lives would not be forfeit because of their foolhardiness.

Fortunately Jasper hated the water, so he was happy to stay at the beach house keeping Esme company while the girls were at CSI and Carlisle and Edward were either sailing or at Edward's laboratory, Masen Research. Carlisle only occasionally went into the lab with Edward as he was enjoying being with his wife again, making up for all the lost years when Esme had lived in a care home after her mind completely failed her. Despite being changed, Esme was still quite fragile and couldn't be left on her own. Her short-term memory was poor and, more importantly, the family couldn't trust her to 'act human' if she strayed away from the house. She was improving every day, but still had a long way to go before she could be considered cured of her dementia and could start living independently again.

When they moved east, Jasper and Alice had relocated Cullen Finance Consultancy, which was their investment business they had set up in Seattle. Alice was still predicting the volatile movements of the stock market with complete accuracy, so their clients were very content, but Jasper made sure their profits weren't too excessive as this would inevitably attract curious and unwelcome attention to their business from their competitors. Jasper was able to work remotely off his laptop while he was looking after Esme, but he preferred working in his registered office, which was located in the same building as CSI on the floor directly above. When Jasper was there, Alice would split her time between the detective agency and Jasper's office and the arrangement worked very well.

As Bella gazed out the office window at the not particularly attractive view across the street, not for the first time she thought wistfully of Seattle; the city where she had spent the majority of her adult life. She missed the rain, which she recalled always had the smell and taste of the Pacific when it splattered on her upturned face. She missed the violent storms that rolled off Mount Ranier, lighting up the sky spectacularly before a thunderclap would make her jump out of her skin. She missed the fresh, chilly wind that would sweep down from Canada or Alaska, eventually bringing with it snow and ice to dump on the hardy population. But, most of all, she missed being able to walk freely in the sunshine, in shorts and a t-shirt, or a pretty summer dress and _Havianas_ , without having to worry that somebody would notice that her beautifully pale skin sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight.

Bella thought back to those first days after Alice changed her and their first hunting adventures in the forests surrounding Forks, especially the night when they lay on the ground in the meadow looking up at the stars, which was when her's and Alice's notion to open a detective agency had first been aired. At the time it was just a flippant idea, but after they had settled on the east coast they had run with it, and Connecticut Special Investigations was born and they had opened its doors just over a month ago.

She smiled to herself when she remembered their first week at work. It had been a slow start with the phone ringing only once, and that was from a distraught woman who had lost her eighteen year old cat. You didn't have to be psychic to work out that the elderly moggy was more than likely in kitty heaven by now, but Alice had been very professional and had told the lady she would send out her 'team of investigators' to find out what had happened to Coco the cat.

Since then the calls had slowly increased and they now had two or three new enquiries every day; the cases ranging from matrimonial disputes, where either the husband or wife wanted their significant other to be followed, to minor crime that the local police force didn't have the manpower or inclination to investigate themselves. Occasionally they would get a slightly more exciting commission, like missing persons, company fraud, or their most interesting current case, which was gangs of drug dealers hanging around local high schools, but nothing really challenging had come their way as yet and both of them were desperate to be offered something they could really get their teeth into; in other words a proper mystery that Alice couldn't solve in five minutes.

Recently, as a favour to the community, Alice had been tipping off the police about serious crimes that were due to happen, mainly in their own neighborhood but some much further afield. She would do this anonymously, which delighted the police forces no end as they were more than willing to take the credit for their 'diligent detective work' when a criminal was caught in the act. Yesterday she had left a message with the local precinct saying that a major drug deal was about to go down at a club in the city today, so they would be watching the local news tomorrow morning with interest to see whether any arrests had been made.

Bella knew it frustrated Alice that she had to allow some awful crimes she had foreseen happening to actually happen, but she was wary of drawing attention to herself, as it was in the (admittedly unwritten) 'Voltori Code of Conduct for Vampires', that their kind should not use their special powers to interfere with the lives of the mortal population, apart from sucking the life-blood out of them of course. The last thing they wanted was another visit from Aro and his brothers, so Alice was selective on the information she offered, concentrating on crimes against children and drug dealers; the two areas she abhorred the most.

Bella turned away from the window and looked over at Alice who was sitting in her smart black leather office chair with her feet up on the desk, while expertly painting her fingernails in lavender-blue polish. Alice hadn't changed at all since the day they first met in her office in Seattle. She still looked as though she was in her early twenties, even though she was well over a hundred years old. Her hair was jet black and silky, with no hint of gray to mar its youthful appearance. Her skin was flawless and her eyes a bright golden brown, enhanced by expertly applied make-up.

Clothes were still Alice's first love, apart from her love of Jasper of course, so it was fortunate that her investments in the stock market were successful enough to fund her lavish expenditure on designer clothes, shoes and accessories. Her latest acquisition, an exclusive lavender blue Vivienne Westwood purse, was sitting on her desk in pride of place so she could lust over it, until the next new purse arrived to replace it.

Since moving to Connecticut, Alice had helped Bella adjust to her life as a vampire, and apart from missing her family and friends who lived in Washington State, Bella seemed fairly content. Her new family were a tight-knit group, made even more so by a recent serious threat to their existence, but that problem had been resolved and everything was almost back to normal; whatever normal was for six vampires trying to exist in leafy Connecticut.

Bella wandered back to her desk as her cell phone had started ringing. It was Edward.

"Hi darling, where are you?" she said excitedly; still feeling the thrill of new love whenever he called her.

"Carlisle is just docking the boat. We'll clean up here then we'll head back to the beach house to relieve Jasper. How much longer will you be at the agency?"

"Not long. The phone has only rung once in the past hour and Alice has already got most of our cases solved due to her scarily clairvoyant brain, so we'll start shutting up the office for the weekend any time soon. Did you have fun today?"

"Yes, it was great. The new boat is amazing; it handles really well and the weather was perfect. As soon as I'm confident I can handle it on my own, we can go off in it for a few weeks if you like. We could sail down to the Caribbean."

"It's very sunny down there, Edward; just sayin'."

"Not at night it isn't. Just think of all that wonderful music."

"Okay okay, I'm sold. Just keep practising 'hoisting the mainsail' or whatever it is you do, and then we can disappear for a while."

"Great. Right, I'll see you in about an hour then at the beach house."

"Love you."

"Love you more."

Bella flipped her phone shut and dropped it in her purse, which was an old one of Alice's that was now out of favor. Most of Bella's clothes and accessories came via Alice, but they had different size feet so she had to buy her own shoes. Bella practically lived in sneakers though; footwear that Alice wouldn't be seen dead in, so there were countless boxes of hardly worn _Manolos_ back at the house that would probably never see the light of day again.

Alice was blowing on her nails to speed up the drying process when the office telephone rang.

"I'll get it," Bella offered, not wanting Alice to ruin her manicure. She strode quickly over to the other side of Alice's desk and picked up the receiver. As she lifted it to her ear there was the sound of breaking glass, followed instantly by an ear-splitting bang in front of her. Alice shrieked as she was thrown backwards in her office chair before it crashed against the wall then it tipped forwards, tumbling her to the floor.

Bella dropped the phone and in a split second, moving quicker than the eye could see, she was over to where Alice was lying, just as another loud bang filled the air and she heard a whistling noise right next to her ear, followed by the sound of glass exploding behind her. She whipped her head around and saw the framed photo of Jasper Alice had on her desk, lying in shattered pieces on the floor.

Bella threw herself on top of Alice and covered her own face and Alice's with her arms. Several more bullets whipped through the office, embedding themselves into the walls and furniture; one slicing into the chair she had been sitting in earlier, making it spin around several times before it crashed into a filing cabinet.

"Keep absolutely still," she whispered to Alice, who was lying face down and not moving, either from fear or shock Bella couldn't tell. She knew if they'd still been human, Alice at least would be dead by now, but she also knew that nothing other than actual fire would end their lives, and that fact alone convinced her that whoever it was who was shooting at them didn't know they were vampires.

Another burst of gunfire sprayed the room and Bella felt a violent punch in her side then another on her leg. She knew she had been hit and the bullets had penetrated her clothing, but fortunately they weren't able to go any further. She glanced sideways without moving her head, and saw the muzzle of a high calibre gun pointing straight at her through a hole in the window and a squinting eye staring at her through another.

As she lay on the floor playing dead, Bella was listening intently to what was happening outside, trying to pick up any clues as to who was doing this. When the gunfire finally stopped, she heard two male voices emanating from the sidewalk.

 _"Did you get them?"_

 _"Yes, both the bitches are down. I can see them on the floor. They're not going anywhere no more. They've got more holes in them than my Pa's fishing net."_

 _"Right, let's get out of here and get our money from Frank and Louis."_

Bella heard the sound of a motorbike revving its engine and the much louder tone as it pulled away at speed, then the sound gradually fading away into the distance. She stood up warily, as she was still not entirely convinced that vampires were indestructible, but after examining her skin where she had been hit, she accepted that she was, thankfully, bullet-proof.

Bella carefully brushed small shards of glass from her clothing as she took in the devastation that was their office. She surveyed the scene in front of her and quickly counted at least sixteen holes in the window and many more spent bullets lying on the floor or embedded in the walls. She bent over to help Alice onto her feet and as she straightened up she noticed that one of the bullets had gone straight through the precious purse and was now sticking out of the desk. Alice hadn't spotted this; she was more concerned about the damage to her clothes, as a large bullet hole was evident near to where her redundant heart still lay.

"Look what those bastards have done to my jacket, Bella," she shrieked.

"Alice, you've just been shot at! Isn't that slightly more important than damage to your clothes?"

"I'm still standing, but those assholes have ruined my beautiful Dior jacket. This is, now was, an original from Paris; I had to pull all sorts of strings to get my hands on it. You don't get clothes like this off Craig's List."

"Never mind about that, Alice; someone's tried to kill us and those gunshots must've been heard miles away. The police will be here any minute and it's still light outside. We've got to get out of here fast so they'll presume we weren't here when the attack happened. Grab your things, go out the fire door and get the car. I'll lock the front door from the inside and turn off the computers."

Quicker than humanly possible, Bella made the office look as though they had already left for the day and exited through the back door. As she made her way to where their car had been parked across the street, she heard another shriek, but she could tell from the tone of this one that Alice had just discovered her bag now had two extra holes.

A few seconds later a bright yellow Porsche roared up with a furious Alice at the wheel.

"When I get my hands on those bastards I'll tear them limb from limb. _Nobody_ , I mean _no-bo-dy_ , ruins anything designed by Vivienne Westwood and gets away with it. This means war! Who do you think was behind the attack, Bella? I want to go after them _right_ _now_ and show them what the consequences are if you piss-off a vampire."

"I've an idea who they were; but you're the one with the all-seeing-eye! How come you didn't see this coming?"

"I don't know, but when I get home I'm going to lie down in a darkened room until I come up with some answers."

Bella recalled the words of their attackers and she had already made an educated guess why they had been targeted. She was pretty sure Alice was probably thinking the same as her; that they'd been attacked because of a case they were working on. Being murdered because of their investigations was not something they had considered; up until then running the agency had just been a game. But now it was deadly serious and she had to drive that point home to Alice, so she put on her most earnest and assertive tone of voice.

"Somehow we've got ourselves into some deep, deep shit, because, my dear Alice, that was a professional hit if ever I saw one. We mustn't think about revenge at the moment; this might have serious implications for the whole family and they've got to be involved with whatever action we take, as this could compromise our security. We need to get back to the beach house in double-quick time, because these guys are after us and when they find out we're not dead, they'll certainly try to discover where we live."

Bella opened her cell and punched in the number for Edward so she could warn him about what had just happened. As she waited for him to reply, panic set in and her hands started to shake.

Alice usually drove sedately when Bella was in the Porsche, but with Bella's blessing this time she floored the gas pedal and the powerful machine responded to the invitation with a throaty roar. As they sped out of the city towards the coast and the security of the beach house, the traitorous sun that could reveal their otherworldliness slowly sunk below the horizon. By the time the beautiful wooden house by the sea came in to view, the safety of night had washed over the landscape and silver moonlight was dancing across the waves and onto the sparkling sand.

As Alice screeched the car to a halt, Edward and Jasper came out onto the deck. Literally in a flash, Bella and Alice were out of the car and into the arms of their men. It didn't make any difference to them that they were immortal vampires; they had been attacked, and that fact had slowly sunk in during the journey and they were shocked and frightened. Now, they had to work out who was trying to kill them and, more importantly, why.

It was going to be a very long night.

* * *

 **Oh Dear!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Alice and Bella have got themselves into some serious trouble but you'll have to wait a while to find out why. In the next chapter we go back a couple of months to just after Bella, Edward and his parents were changed, and we discover why Alice told Bella that vampire sex was "awesome"!**

 **Reviews and feedback are always welcome and I answer every review, so thank you in advance. This is the only time I'll ask as I'm not a nagger for reviews, so you can read on with a clear conscience if reviewing is not your thing.**

 **Joan xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**We've jumped back in time to about six weeks after they were changed and quite a few weeks before the girls were attacked in their office. Bella is feeling quite sorry for herself but Edward is there to cheer her up (ahem), so if you're easily offended, skip this lemony chapter.**

 **Ah! You're still here. Excellent news. Enjoy !**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO - Regrets**

"Hi, dad."

"Bells! Great to see you at last; I was starting to forget what you looked like."

"Sorry, dad."

"How long is it since you left for the east coast with Edward? It feels like months but I know it's not that long. This _Skype_ thing is amazing though. Lucky Sue's here to show me what to do or I'd never have worked it out. How are you, darling?"

"I'm good. Missing you and Sue, obviously, but other than that I'm fine."

"Is Edward looking after you?"

"Edward is wonderful. He's very attentive and I know he loves me; I don't have any doubts about that."

"Do you love him, Bells?"

"Yes, very much. It's different from what I felt for Jacob. I did love him, but I'm so much more relaxed and happy with Edward; it's like we've known each other forever."

"That's good to hear. So...will we be hearing wedding bells anytime soon?"

"No, not for a while. It's still early days, even though I'm sure I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him."

"Well you'd better hurry up; I can't wait to bounce a grandchild on my knee."

"Dad!"

"Sorry, Bella; my mouth works faster than my brain sometimes. Anyway, how's Carlisle? Still hanging in there?"

"We got some great news last week. Carlisle isn't suffering from pancreatic cancer after all. It was severe pancreatitis with complications and Carlisle's physician just jumped to conclusions because he'd lost so much weight and the first CT scan showed similar symptoms to cancer. He's having lots of yukky treatment which is pretty grim and he's now on a special diet and can't drink alcohol for the rest of his life which he's really upset about, but his new doctor is confident that he'll make a full recovery."

"That's wonderful news, Bella. Edward must be ecstatic?"

"He is, especially after his Uncle Anthony dying so suddenly. He thought he'd be left to run the lab on his own. Now he's got Carlisle and me to help him."

"Edward must be a very wealthy man now, Bells. His uncle was mega-rich and I read he's left everything to Edward in his will."

"That's right; everything apart from the beach house and the land surrounding it which Anthony jointly owned with Carlisle. Most of Anthony's wealth is tied up in the lab though because he reinvested all the profit, but their previous discoveries generate a huge amount of income every year. Edward has a hefty tax bill to pay, but he won't be short of money ever again. He still wants to work though, so he's starting back at the lab tomorrow."

"That's good to hear. I hope he's successful in his dementia research."

"Me too; he's very confident he'll find a solution one day."

"Well, wish him good luck with that from me."

"I will, thanks."

"Bells, I don't know if it's because I haven't seen you for a while, or it's this Skype thing, but you look different."

"How so?"

"You know I've always said you were beautiful, but you look absolutely radiant today. Your hair looks thicker, your eyes are brighter and your skin is luminous. Have you been spending a bundle of Edward's money in a beauty parlour?"

"Aww thanks, dad, but no, I haven't. I guess it's a combination of not having to get up real early to go to work every day and the lovely autumn weather we've had on the east coast, and, of course, being in love."

"Are you sure; you look as though you're positively glowing."

"I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're suggesting!"

"No, not at all! East coast life must be suiting you, which means I won't be seeing much of you, will I?"

"I'll try to come home soon, dad. We've got so much to do here at the moment. As well as looking after Carlisle while he recovers, which takes a lot of time, Edward's been concentrating on taking over the running the laboratories so he's been on the phone to the lawyers for the last fortnight without a break. At least you and I can talk on Skype now."

"Yes, but it's not the same, Bells. Anyway, I must go. I can hear Billy honking his horn outside; we're going fishing."

"Okay; say Hi to Billy for me. I'm really pleased he's moved to Forks. I'm sure living somewhere new will help him get over losing his wife and Jacob."

"It has helped, but it's still early days yet. Bye Bells."

"Bye dad, love you."

"Love you too, Bella. Always have and always will."

Bella relaxed back in the chair in her bedroom and sighed as Charlie's weathered face disappeared from view. If she'd still been human, she knew she would be crying by now, as the repercussions of the decision she and Edward had made in this house, to become vampires rather than die at the hands of the Voltori, was now affecting her life and her relationships with her friends and family. She had accepted they had no choice in the matter, and Charlie would have been desperately searching for her by now with no hope of finding her if they'd have refused to become vampires, but this didn't make her feel any better at the moment. She just wanted to feel her father's arms around her again, but that wasn't going to happen because of Aro's laws.

It wasn't just her father and Sue she wasn't able to see, it was her mother who lived in Florida, who was now much closer in distance than before and was already making noises about wanting to visit her. Bella hadn't seen her mother since graduating from University. They spoke occasionally on the telephone, but Renee was wrapped up in her own life with husband number four, so neither of them had made the effort to cross the continent to visit each other.

Bella was quite suspicious that her mother had started to call her quite frequently since she moved to the east coast. Their first contact coincided with news reaching Renee that her daughter was now 'dating' a certain Edward Masen who had recently come into a multi-million dollar fortune. Her mother was by no means hard up, as her fourth husband was a wealthy politician and a successful businessman. But Renee could sniff a fat wallet at a hundred yards and had been openly disappointed when Bella announced her engagement to Jacob, who was "just a forensic scientist". She had not made any effort to meet Jacob during their relationship, and had only agreed to attend the wedding if it didn't clash with any of her other social engagements, so her sudden interest in Bella's new mega-rich boyfriend was patently obvious. Their last phone conversation had ended acrimoniously, as Bella had told her mother she would have to wait for an invitation and was not to turn up on the doorstep as Edward's parents were both ill and couldn't cope with visitors. Bella had hated lying to her mother, but Esme was not in a fit state to see anyone yet and an impromtu visit by Renee would have been very awkward, if not dangerous. Renee had slammed the phone down in a huff and Bella hadn't heard from her since.

Bella had also left many friends behind in Seattle and was missing them almost as much as she missed Charlie and Sue. Angela had already been in contact and had suggested stopping by to visit as she had family living in Boston. Rosalie had been in touch regularly as she had just succumbed to Emmett's persistence and had agreed to go out on a date with him, and Bella was desperate to get the lowdown on their first night out. But she was becoming resigned to the fact that she would never meet any of her friends and family again face to face, but how they were going to achieve that without raising suspicions was a problem her and Edward were yet to find a solution to.

Then there was her career which was now non-existent. Edward was planning to return to the lab tomorrow for the first time since he was changed. If the staff didn't notice the difference in their new boss, his life would almost be unaltered from when he was human, whereas she had given up her family and a job she loved with people she respected and was now languishing in the beach house with nothing to do. Alice and Jasper still had their finance business and were in the process of relocating their office from Seattle to Connecticut, meaning their transition to the east coast would be seamless. So again, Bella had to accept that she was the only one who had given up an important part of her life, as being a forensic scientist meant having to go out to crime scenes to examine evidence outdoors in the daylight, not just working from a bench in a sterile scientific environment like Edward's research laboratory. Reluctantly therefore, she had already accepted that it would be impossible for her to continue doing the job she had worked so hard to be qualified for, and that thought depresssed her almost as much as her detachment from everyone she had left behind.

As she was staring at the blank computer screen, thinking about Angela and Rosalie and all the other people that were close to her, she felt a familiar pair of arms slide around her waist and Edward's lips pressing against her neck. She hadn't heard him come up the stairs to their room as she had been wrapped up in her own thoughts, but as she felt his touch she realised how tense she had become, as the second she was aware of his presence she relaxed into his embrace and gave herself up to his attentions. Edward had anticipated that Bella would be upset after talking to her father, and he knew the best way to temporarily take her mind off the fact that there was a strong chance she would never be able to see him again.

Edward turned Bella's face to his and kissed her lips gently and ran his fingers through her hair. Without breaking contact, Bella stood up slowly and the kiss became more intense as Edward worked his tongue inside her mouth. He picked her up and wrapped her legs around his hips and walked towards the wall until her back was pressed against it then he shredded her clothes quickly and easily until she was completely naked. After positioning her arms above her head and holding her slim wrists together with one of his strong hands, with his free hand he undid his pants, grabbed his throbbing cock and thrust it into her, causing Bella to cry out with pleasure.

As he pounded into her willing body, he whispered in her ear, "Does this remind you of anything, Bella?"

"The janitor's room," Bella responded breathlessly between thrusts. "I could hardly walk afterwards!"

"You weren't a vampire then."

"Neither were you I recall."

"Is there any reason why you need to walk anywhere for the rest of the day?"

"Not particularly; you can carry me everywhere in your strong vampire arms if you like."

"You asked for it then, my gorgeous, wanton, foolhardy fiancée. Brace yourself for the full-on, vampire, sexual experience!"

With that, Edward moved up a gear, thrusting hard into Bella as she moaned in ecstasy. His pelvis was moving fast and forcefully as his other hand roamed freely over her exposed body as her wrists were still trapped above her head in his vice-like grip. His mouth was all over her face and neck, alternately kissing, licking and nipping her with his teeth as feral growls issued from the pit of his stomach.

Bella's first orgasm hit her like an express train. As the feeling of bliss reached every extremity of her being, she felt as though she had completely lost control of her mind and body. Edward didn't let up, even though he was aware that she had come. He had felt her shudder violently in his arms, then experienced the extraordinary effect her orgasm had on his cock. He roared with pleasure, throwing his head back in satisfaction, then sunk his teeth into Bella's exposed neck leaving deep red marks from his razor sharp incisors.

He continued thrusting into her and as he felt his own climax approaching, he let go of Bella's wrists and pulled her away from the wall, letting her body fall backwards so his mouth had access to her breasts. He licked, sucked and bit each one in turn, leaving more marks on her soft skin to match those that were covering her neck and shoulders. As he walked towards the bed, still licking and biting her body, he pulled out of her then threw her down on the mattress and gazed at her lustfully. As she lay there writhing on the bed, waiting for his final assault, he ripped off his own clothes, grabbed her calves and lifted them up in the air.

"This is it, Bella. If you were still human, what I'm going to do to you now would kill you. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Edward. You know I love this; just lose yourself in me."

Edward let out a satisfied growl as he positioned himself between her legs. He stroked his cock several times before pushing himself inside her, then slowly he built up speed and force until his hips were moving faster than any human could achieve. Bella's ankles were either side of his shoulders and as he bent forward, her legs splayed out further. What she was feeling inside of her couldn't be adequately described as she was in a constant state of orgasm, but even while an exquisite turmoil of emotions was happening inside her head, she could still sense that Edward was approaching his own release.

She opened her eyes to watch, as seeing Edward come was one of the joys of her life. His eyes were glazed and fixed on her face, like a wild animal that was just about to attack its prey. The intensity of his stare was frightening, but she knew he was in control and what was about to happen. As his frenzied face distorted and his cock pulsated inside her, he threw his head back again and as he let out a satisfied howl, he reared up over her, baring his teeth that were glistening with venom then collapsed the full force of his body on top of her, crushing her in his arms. He roughly pushed her head to one side and after one final growl, he sunk his teeth into her neck, but this time holding the bite as his body emptied itself into her, not just of his seed, but also of his venom.

As the burning liquid spread throughout her body, Bella came for the final time and cried out with pleasure; not just for her own release, but for knowing that Edward had just experienced a mind-blowing orgasm of incredible intensity, and a high he could never have achieved if he was still human.

Within seconds of coming down from her own orgasm, she felt the effects of Edward's venom in every part of her being as her core temperature started to soar. If she hadn't experienced this before, she would have thought she was preparing to spontaneously combust, as rivers of heat were coursing through her limbs and out through the pores in her skin making her body feel like it was on fire. She closed her eyes as her vision had started to blur, but on the back of her eyelids rainbows of colour danced in front of her, creating psychedelic shapes and patterns as they tumbled away into infinity. After a few minutes of what could only be described as a 'trip', the kaleidoscope of lights faded into soft focus and a feeling of euphoria washed over her overloaded brain cells, so much so that she felt like she was floating on air.

Eventually she opened her eyes to see Edward staring down at her, watching the effect his bodily fluids were having on her. She reached up and kissed him gently, then pulled him down on top of her again so she could share the warmth of her body with him. As he lay there, he offered his neck to her and she sunk her teeth into his skin and held the bite until her own venom stopped flowing.

When she pulled away from him, she stared into his eyes.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you more," he replied and kissed her on her forehead. Then, as his own body was consumed by her venom, they locked themselves together in an unbreakable embrace until they both returned to planet Earth, and they stayed in each other's arms for several hours as day turned into night.

As she lay there in the fading light, Bella watched in fascination as her skin healed itself of the scars Edward had made with his teeth and she was actually regretful that every shred of evidence of their love-making would soon be gone. Having his venom inside her body was the most intense feeling she had ever experienced and she smiled to herself when she thought back to the first time Edward had worked himself up into such a frenzied state that he had bitten her with venom.

It happened a week after they had been changed and they were alone in the house in Forks. Edward had to man-up and call Jasper to tell him what had happened as he was panicking that he might have killed the love of his life. After Jasper had brought his laughing under control, he reassured Edward that no harm was done and he hoped Bella was enjoying the afterglow! Not long after, following their first successful solo hunt in the forest, Bella had reciprocated while they were having some outdoor loving and had bitten Edward as well. After they had recovered, they made a pact never do this again out of doors and also to save this type of encounter for 'special occasions' as they were both mentally and physically exhausted for hours afterwards, which for vampires, whose instinct for survival was powerful, made them feel very vulnerable.

The bedroom was in darkness when eventually they felt that their strength had returned, so they got up and showered together, then wandered downstairs and out onto the deck where Jasper and Alice were cuddled up on one of the wooden seats looking at the stars, while unsuccessfully trying to hide the smirks on their faces.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked, as Alice covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing out loud.

"Nothing, Bella," Alice replied when she brought her mirth under control, "but Jasper and I were just discussing whether we should build you guys a separate extension to the house and soundproof it!"

"Oh!" Bella and Edward exclaimed at the same time, then Jasper burst out laughing, followed by Alice, and after a few seconds of embarrassment, the two lovers joined in the hilarity and laughed with them, until they heard Carlisle shouting at them from inside the conservatory.

"For heaven's sake you four; keep the noise down out there. It's bad enough having to listen to my son copulating with his girlfriend, but trying to read when there's a pack of hyenas on the doorstep is just too much!"

* * *

 **Ooops!**

 **So now you know why Alice said "the sex is awesome" in CSI Seattle. Hands up who would like an experience like that, especially with Edward, (or Rob - I'm not fussy)?**

 **HD hearing is a bit annoying, especially when you're sharing a house. Ah well, it didn't stop them having a lot of fun. I hope you enjoyed this chapter - you can read it again if you like !**

 **Next chapter Edward goes back to the lab, determined to find 'the mole'. Will the colleagues he's left in charge of Masen Research for the last six weeks notice the change in him and will he be able to 'act human' for a whole day? You'll soon find out.**

 **Joan xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**First of all I would like to thank the International House of FanFiction and Rob Attack for already highlighting this story on their wonderful sites. You can see the gorgeous banner that promotes CSI-Connecticut on both of them, so many thanks to Caroline and her friend for the lovely artwork.**

 **This is quite a long chapter, so settle down with a cup of coffee/tea/wine before you start reading, as you're going to have the pleasure of meeting up with some of the characters (possible suspects) who work in Masen Research. Lets hope they don't spot they have a vampire in their midst or there might be trouble!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE - Suspects**

* * *

Carlisle and Edward left the beach house early the next morning and travelled the fifty or so miles to Masen Research in Anthony's red Porsche. Edward hadn't set foot in the labs since the day after Anthony's funeral, when he had dropped in on his way to the airport before travelling to Forks for his transformation. That was over six weeks ago and he was now feeling extremely anxious about walking back into the labs and coming face to face with colleagues he knew very well, some of whom might notice that he was not the same Edward that had left for a long break after the sudden death of his uncle.

He knew there was no likelihood of any of the staff coming up and hugging him; the only physical contact would be a polite handshake and that would only be with a few senior members of staff. He also knew he would have to be totally focused and completely in control of his movements, as any slip up, such as moving his limbs too quickly for instance, would be noticed by these highly competent people whose whole life was devoted to spotting the unusual. Finally, and most importantly, he would be amongst nearly five hundred warm-blooded humans, and that would be a trial in itself. He had mingled with the mortal population many times since he was changed and so far had been able to control the temptation to attack, but he had not as yet been amongst a large concentration of humans in one place, or encountered a human that was irresistible. He knew that day would come as both Jasper and Alice had warned him of this fact.

Before he departed for Forks, Edward had handed over the company reins to three colleagues whom he trusted completely. They were,

Ben Wolfe, a fellow scientist who, like Edward, had joined the lab directly from Yale. They had studied together as students and had similar goals as far as their chosen fields of medical research were concerned, which were afflictions of the brain and diseases of the central nervous system. Even though he was one of the youngest scientists employed at the lab, Edward had entrusted Ben with the responsibility of being the only employee, apart from himself, who knew what was being researched in each individual laboratory.

The second was Jane Enfield, who was in charge of HR and administration. Jane had worked for Anthony for over fifteen years, originally as his PA but more recently in the senior position as overall boss of these departments. She had been appointed in recognition of her total dedication to her job and to Anthony, and was one the few people in the lab who were considered to be 'irreplaceable'.

The final 'trustee' was Alfonso Caspari, better known as AC or Ace, who had recently been appointed head of the department that looked after every aspect of security, including cyber-attacks on their IT systems. Ace had joined Masen Research at the beginning of the summer and his reputation for being the best in the business had preceded him. Edward was aware that Ace was constantly being head-hunted by companies like Microsoft and Apple, but he wasn't interested in working for a giant corporation; this lab with its five hundred employees was enough for him. Just before Edward left for Forks, Ace had even been approached by the Pentagon who had offered him silly money (they thought) to join them. He had responded to their invitation by e-mail, stating that,

1\. Even though he was now a US citizen, his immediate family in Italy was riddled with Fascists, Mafia and Communists, so he wouldn't pass their vetting process.

2\. He was bi-sexual and had more skeletons in and out of the closet than they had hours in the day to investigate, so he would certainly fall into the category of 'persona non grata'.

Finally, and probably most importantly,

3\. The United States government couldn't afford him.

When he showed the e-mail to Edward before he sent it, Edward had laughed at the final sentence but he acknowledged he was probably paying him double what the US President was getting in his pay check every month, but he was worth it. Millions of dollars worth of investment could be stolen in an instant if someone had access to their systems, and Anthony and Edward considered his salary was money well spent. Corporate espionage was huge business, especially as some countries in the Far East blatantly allowed drugs that had been developed at huge cost in the West to be synthesised and manufactured illegally. Computer hacking, or to give it its more high-tech name, a cyber-attack, was the industrial spy's weapon of choice, and Ace had to be one step ahead of the game at all times just to keep up with the new methods of interception that were being created by extremely clever people all over the world.

Edward hadn't told Ace yet about Alice's vision that had revealed there was a mole in the camp willing to sell their research to a national newspaper. His plan was to speak to Ace today about this, face to face, and if his investigations resulted in him having to let go every member of his IT department he would do it, and that included getting rid of Ace as well if necessary.

Edward was determined to root out the person who was capable of hacking into Anthony's computer, or maybe had access to outside assistance to do this. Alice couldn't help, as all she had 'foreseen' was the article, which stated that an employee of the company had passed on Anthony's research into an anti-ageing drug to the newspaper. But, as the employee hadn't actually done the deed when Alice had seen her vision, there was no point going to the newspaper for information because the mole hadn't approached them yet, as Anthony had been killed before he found what he was looking for.

With a hundred different worries, thoughts and concerns going through their heads, Edward and Carlisle pulled up at the main gate of Masen Research. The security guard waved them through to the practically empty lot where Edward drove into the same spot where his late uncle had parked for years. He used his security swipe card to enter the building and after passing through the metal detector, they made their way towards the administration desk where Jane was already at her post and on the telephone. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and smiled broadly as they walked past, whispering "Welcome back," then turned her attention to the caller again.

They made their way along a brightly lit glass-walled corridor that had offices and laboratories on either side, but all the rooms were completely devoid of humans as it was still very early in the morning and no staff had arrived as yet. They were heading towards Anthony's private laboratory which was situated behind a central door at the far end of the corridor. His lab had the prime position in the vast three storey building that had been designed to have four equal sized wings and was shaped like a cross. Anthony's lab covered the width of one end of a wing and had floor to ceiling windows with doors that opened up onto the private lake that supplied the labs with fresh water. It also had a beautiful view of several acres of woodland that were now ablaze with the rich colors of autumn this state was famous for.

After Anthony's body had been removed by the coroner and the police had carried out their investigations, the doors to the lab had been locked and Edward had left strict instructions that nobody was allowed to enter until he returned. But he still felt apprehensive when he turned the key in the lock as he didn't know what to expect, or how he was going to react when he opened the door and went back to the place where Anthony had met a quick but violent end.

Edward gingerly stepped over the threshold and Carlisle followed closely behind, and even though neither of them breathed in, they both reeled as the stale air hit their sensitive noses. They could still smell the mustiness of Anthony's clothes, mingled with the stench of death that lingered in the enclosed space, as the putrid air had nowhere to escape during the past six weeks. They halted just inside the doorway and their eyes were drawn to the spot on the floor where Anthony had collapsed after Jasper had snapped his neck. Edward saw his father's hands fly up to cover his face as the memory of that dreadful night came back to him.

Edward turned towards his father and drew him in for a comforting embrace. It didn't matter how deranged and dangerous Anthony had been; he was still family and they were both missing the man who had been a huge part of their lives until madness consumed him.

"It's over, dad. You and I know that Anthony wasn't long for this world. Even if he hadn't set eyes on the arm and been corrupted by it, the coroner said he was riddled with disease and was drug-dependent because of the pain he was in."

"I accept that, son, but so much has happened to me in the last few months that I haven't had a chance to grieve for my brother."

"I know, and I feel the same. I'm sorry it happened the way it did, but we must put it all behind us now."

Carlisle shook his head dismissively and looked towards the spot on the floor and spoke as though Anthony was still lying there.

"I'm alive, Edward, and it should've been me who was dead by now, not Anthony. Not only that, against all odds your mother's come back to us, even though she's frail. I can't get my head around that too. Our lives have totally changed because of what we are, and it's just too much to take in all at once."

Carlisle tore his eyes away from the floor and put his hands on Edward's shoulders, gripping them tightly.

"You're still young, Edward, and you'll stay young for eternity, but I'm old, even though I have the energy of youth again. I thought coming back here would help me accept my situation because the lab is the only normal part of our crazy life, but it just makes me realise that how we're living is wrong. It's against everything that's natural in the world."

Edward couldn't answer that last statement, but put his arms around his father again while he thought about the implications of how his father saw their situation.

Edward had been ecstatic when he discovered he wasn't going to lose him. On top of that his mother, although fragile, had come back into his life. Now he was just starting to appreciate the amount of strain Carlisle must have been under after first of all living through the nightmare of staring death in the face for weeks following his diagnosis and then his unexpected recovery. Now it seemed as though he had fallen victim to a type of post-traumatic stress, through being overloaded with a myriad of life-changing circumstances all at the same time. In normal circumstances Edward would have advised his father to see a shrink, but the situation they were in was not covered by any psychiatrist's training course. They were totally on their own and Edward knew he had to support his father while he accepted that life was going to be very different from now on.

Edward had planned to turn Anthony's laboratory into his own private working area, but the ghost of his uncle was still present in the room and it was impossible to contemplate being able to concentrate on work with the spectre of Anthony watching over him. He took hold of his father's arm and guided him back through the door then locked it behind him, saying to himself he would decide what to do about the room another day.

As they made their way back along the long corridor, they could see Ben Wolfe walking towards the reception area and it was inevitable they were going to meet. Edward put his hand in his jacket pocket and crushed one of the hiker's heat packs he had stashed there and within seconds he could feel warmth in the palm of his hand. Carlisle did the same, so as Ben approached his new boss, Edward outstretched his hand to greet him.

"Hi Ben, good to see you."

"Edward, welcome back, and Carlisle, it's great to see you looking so well."

"Thanks Ben, and thanks also for keeping the lab ticking over while we've been away. How are things?"

"Absolutely fine. Jane's been a superstar, keeping everything ship-shape. Ace just stares at his screen for hours on end then talks gibberish with the rest of the geeks in computer land. I've had to kick a few butts in the labs, but other than that, everything is hunky dory."

"Great, I'm glad to hear it. Thanks for keeping me up to date by e-mail as well; that was really useful. I'll come by and speak to you later so you can give me the latest news on some of the projects. Is Ace in yet?"

"I think so; I thought I saw his car pulling in to the lot when I came in. Anyway, I'm glad you're back; this place is not the same without a Masen around."

Ben looked awkward just after he said that.

"Sorry, Carlisle. Sorry, Edward. That was thoughtless of me. We all miss Professor Masen and it's been strange not having you in the lab either, Edward."

"That's okay, Ben. No offence taken. It'll be strange for me as well; not being able to go to my uncle to discuss my research, but life goes on."

"It sure does. Right, I'd better be on my way, things to do and butts to kick. See you later, Edward."

Ben headed for his laboratory as both Carlisle and Edward let out an audible sigh of relief. That was the first test over, and unless Ben had been too polite to mention any change in their physical appearance, they had got away with it.

"Do you think he noticed anything different about us, dad?" Edward asked.

"I don't think so. If he did he hid it well as I couldn't sense any signs of curiosity while we were talking. When you met Alice and Jasper for the first time, did you immediately think they were strange?"

"No, but I'd never met them before. I've known Ben for years."

"You have to remember that Ben's a guy. I remember Esme not speaking to me for days because I hadn't noticed she'd changed her hair style. Men don't notice stuff like that. We're more likely to be looked at strangely by the female staff, but they won't say anything."

"Why not?"

"Because you're the boss now, Edward!"

"Shit, yes. I suppose I am."

"You'll find that the staff will treat you differently from now on, so there may be whispers behind our backs, but no-one is going to say anything to our faces."

"Probably not, but don't forget, we'll be able to hear their whispers, now we have HD ears!"

Carlisle laughed and slapped Edward on the back. Edward was pleased that Carlisle's mood had lifted after the shock of going back into Anthony's lab. They had anticipated today would be a day of mixed emotions as well as problematic encounters, and they had only been in the building less than twenty minutes.

As they were walking towards Ace's department, Edward asked Carlisle how he was feeling. Carlisle had only been out and about in human company about five times since being changed, but he seemed to be coping with temptation very well.

"I'm fine, thanks. I must admit Jane smelled very appetizing and I had to check myself, but I'm in control here so don't worry."

"You're doing really well, but let me know if you feel a sudden urge to launch yourself on one of my staff. Jasper warned me that no matter how confident you feel, occasionally someone will walk past with such a sweet smell that it takes a huge amount of restraint not to attack."

"Alright, I promise. Anyway, Edward, I'm going to sit by the lake while you speak to Alfonso. I need to get my head around what happened back there and maybe that's the right place to do it. I had my last reasonable conversation with Anthony on that bench and possibly his spirit is out there waiting for me to make some sort of peace with him. Call me when you're ready to leave."

"Will do; I'll be about an hour or so with Ace and Ben, and Dad, don't forget to cover-up, it's quite sunny today."

As Carlisle walked away, one of Jane's colleagues called Suzanne walked past and said "Good Morning, Doctor Masen," to Edward. As she disappeared around the corner he heard her whispering to another member of the office staff.

"Jesus, Beth. How can that man keep on getting better looking every time I see him? Those must be contacts he's wearing on his eyes, 'cause that colour just ain't natural!"

* * *

Edward peered through the glass door of the IT Department and spotted the short, stocky figure of Ace staring at his computer screen. His fingers were buried in an unruly mop of thick dark brown hair and he was wearing, as usual, the bright blue jersey of the Italian international soccer team. As the door to each room was locked for security reasons, Edward opened it with his master key and Ace looked up to see who was visiting his domain so early in the morning.

"Edward, you dog! Welcome back. I was starting to worry you'd gone for good. How are you feeling now; you were in a terrible state when I saw you at the funeral?"

"I'm okay, Ace, but going back to Anthony's lab was a bit weird and my father was quite shocked how it affected him. He's out by the lake at the moment having some time-out."

"How is Carlisle? I saw him a couple of days before Anthony died and he looked very sick and even worse at the funeral."

"He's well on the road to recovery now, thank God. He didn't have cancer after all, and he's responding well to treatment. Thanks for asking."

"That's great news; I'm sure you must be relieved?"

As they both sat down, Ace was blatantly staring at Edward with a puzzled expression on his face and as he was never backward about saying what he was thinking, he fronted him up.

"Edward, you're looking exceedingly well; in fact you look different. Have you been working out?"

Edward covered his shock at Ace's directness by laughing and nodding in agreement.

"Yes, I'm pleased you've noticed. I've been hitting the gym every day recently, and dad and I have been out sailing a lot over the past few weeks. When we took the boat out for the first time I realised how unfit I was, so I've been getting back in shape and I feel a lot better for it. Being out on the boat has helped take dad's mind off losing his brother so suddenly and it's helped me put things into perspective, like how short life is and how we must make the most of every minute.

"You certainly look very fit, in a non-sexual way I might add; the holiday has done you good."

"It has. These six weeks off have been my first proper break since I went to Sweden with Anthony to get his Nobel Prize, which was over eleven years ago when I was seventeen, so I was overdue for some time off. I genuinely feel so much better for not being around test tubes for a few weeks, but I know it's time to get back to work."

"Well, you certainly look great; even those marks on your face have disappeared. Revlon will be after your secret."

Edward laughed again, but he was now feeling very concerned that Ace had been so observant, but also quite relieved that he seemed to accept his light-hearted explanations without question. It was time he turned the conversation away from his physical appearance and to the main reason he had come to see him this morning.

"Ace, I need to talk to you about something serious. I've found out there's been a breach in our security."

For a second Ace looked affronted as though Edward's statement was a personal attack on his professionalism, and then he looked deadly serious.

"Are you saying that you've discovered a breach, or you've been told there's a breach?"

"Let's just say I've been informed from a very reliable source that someone gained access to Anthony's research and was planning to sell one of his discoveries to a well-known newspaper. Before Anthony finished what he was working on he died, so the deal never went ahead, but I know for certain there's a mole in this establishment who has the knowledge to break through your firewalls and is prepared to sell our secrets for money."

Ace looked shocked but thought about his response before replying. He had never had a security failure on his watch and he was one hundred percent certain that his pristine record was still untarnished.

"Edward, there is no-one in this building who has the wit to break through one of my systems. You'd have to be a genius on Einstein's level of intellect just to break down the first wall, and there are a million and one other walls behind that one, and I'm not exaggerating. If there's someone here who can do that, then he or she should be sitting in this chair, not me!"

Edward pondered that comment for a moment, thinking of the con-artist and forger, Frank Abagnale, who was employed by the FBI after serving a lengthy prison term. The FBI admitted he was the best forger in the business as he was always one step ahead of the game, so Frank went straight onto the Government's payroll as soon as he was free. But Edward wouldn't contemplate hiring the mole when he discovered who he or she was, as this was personal. Whoever had planned to break into their files, their sole intention was to rip Anthony off, and that wasn't going to go unpunished, so Edward mentioned his other idea to Ace.

"Maybe the person behind this is not a member of staff, but is using someone here to get in. It could be blackmail, industrial espionage or just plain greed, but it has happened and we've got to find out who's doing it."

"Are you going to tell me who gave you this information?"

"No, because I want you to investigate this without prejudice, but I will say it wasn't a member of staff."

"Interesting; well, you haven't given me much to go on but I'll do my best and keep you informed of progress. I'm not going to ask whether you trust your informer's judgement; I'll take that as read."

"Believe me, it's one hundred percent on the line.

"Okay, Edward, I'll get right on it. I'll have to start by looking at Anthony's files and his back-ups to see if they've been accessed by any other terminal on the site."

Edward suddenly realised that there was a possibility that some of Anthony's research on Peter's arm might still be floating about in cyberspace. The family had dumped all of Anthony's files on the night he died, but every strike on a keyboard leaves a shadow on the servers and that knowledge was causing Edward concern. Most, but not all of Anthony's calculations had been done the old-fashioned way, with pencil and paper, as Anthony was not computer-friendly, but he knew how to surf for information using search-engines, and the history on his computer showed that he had been reading other scientists' research on anti-ageing experiments.

The last thing Edward wanted to do was to put Ace in the path of temptation if he discovered what Anthony had been researching, or came across any conclusions he had already reached, but it was a risk he had to take. The future of his company depended on finding the mole before all their other discoveries and research was sold to his competitors. If this person had access to Anthony's files, then Edward had to presume he was hacking into every lab, which would be disastrous. They had projects in development that had ten years of work behind them, which amounted to millions of dollars of investment. To lose even one new drug would be unthinkable and devastating to the scientists who had worked on its invention and production; to lose them all would be catastrophic. He would have to put his trust in this man to find the mole before it was too late.

"Ace, my uncle was doing some pretty ground-breaking research when he died, so much so that the family believes the stress of trying to find what he was looking for contributed to his early death. If you come across any of this research, you must tell me and I'll talk it through with you. I know what he was working on and so does Carlisle, but neither of us want this work to be developed any further. It was in an area we've never researched before, but Carlisle and I didn't expect him to succeed with his experiments and achieve a finished product. At this point in time we're convinced that he hadn't completed his work, however it's vital that we keep his work confidential and it mustn't go any further than you, me and Carlisle. Not even Ben or Jane needs to know."

"Okay, Boss. I'm very intrigued, but my lips are sealed."

"Thank you. I would tell you more, but if you do come across his work, you'll understand why I haven't given you any more information."

Edward stood up to leave, but he had become so relaxed while talking to Ace that he forgot that he had to pretend to be human and he naturally moved quicker than any normal human should.

"Whoa, Edward! What the fuck just happened there? Are you in a hurry or something?"

Ace had jumped out of his seat in surprise and was staring at Edward in wonderment.

"Shit, Ace, something bit me. Have you had that mangy dog of yours in here while I've been away?" Edward bent over and started rubbing his leg vigorously.

"No, and she hasn't got mange or fleas, or any sort of disease, thank you."

"Well something took a chunk out my leg. I'd better get it seen to. Keep me updated on progress, Ace. There'll be a huge bonus for you if you get this bastard quickly."

"What happens if I don't?"

"You will; I've every faith in you."

Edward carefully walked over to the door and unlocked it. He turned to say goodbye to Ace and noticed he was watching him intently. Ace was no fool, and Edward knew for certain that his feeble attempts to cover his slip hadn't been convincing enough to satisfy his colleague and Edward could almost hear the questions forming behind Ace's eyes.

"Shit shit shit!" Edward said to himself as he left the room. "I've got to be more careful or this isn't going to work. Don't look back, Edward, you idiot, or he'll know there's something up."

But if he had turned around, he would have noticed Ace standing there watching his every move through the glass panels, rubbing his hand on his chin then smiling to himself as he sat down in front of his computer screen.

"Well well well," he said to the picture of his poodle that was on his desktop. "If I didn't know any better, Madonna, I would say that Uncle Anthony was a bit further along in his research than they're admitting to and maybe he was a bit cleverer than Edward and Carlisle are giving him credit for. This little mystery is going to be _very_ interesting."

* * *

 **Oh heck!**

 **Behaving 'human' at all times is going to be very difficult for Edward. Is Ace to be trusted, or has he already been hacking in to Anthony's files? Next chapter, Bella and Alice put their plans to open a detective agency in motion and go on a road trip around the local area where they run across some unsavoury characters.**

 **Thanks for all your reviews and it's lovely to hear from old friends again. I'm enjoying hearing what you think of the story and your guesses as to where it's heading. BTW for those of you who are wondering, Edward's mind reading skills are only just starting to kick in. He doesn't know he can do this yet, but he will, eventually.**

 **Joan xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**First of all _another_ thank you, this time to ADF (A Different Forest) for featuring all my stories this week on their terrific site. They asked me for some photographs, so unfortunately those of you who access this site will now be able to see pictures of the nutcase that's behind this fanfic. **

**Thanks for all your reviews and guesses. There are more characters to meet in future chapters, so don't put your money on who the mole is yet.**

 **It's Bella and Alice's turn this chapter.**

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR - Decisions

* * *

"Do you really want to give it a go?"

"I don't see why not?"

"The thing is, Alice, when you were running your Finance Consultancy in Seattle, you didn't have to meet your clients very often, if ever. A detective agency is _totally_ different. We'd have to talk to people face to face, which might be really difficult."

"True, but it won't be like meeting up with friends or family. We won't have to hug and kiss the clients, not unless they're absolutely gorgeous or a vampire, but that's probably not going to happen. If we're clever about it we can avoid arranging to meet people outside in the daylight hours as most of the clients could be interviewed in our office or over the telephone. If there's any forensic work that needs doing, you can use Edward's lab for that."

"I suppose so. I'm just a bit nervous though. I'm still not a hundred percent comfortable among humans; some of them smell very tasty and I don't think I should go out of my way to be in their company for a while yet."

"You'll get used to it, Bella. I've only been _really_ tempted to snack on a human about ten times in a hundred years. If the urge strikes, I just leave the situation as quickly as possible before I do any damage. We are what we are; our instinct is to feed on humans, but our minds and consciences are stronger thankfully, which is why we're able to resist. You just have to be constantly on your guard and be ready to back off quickly in case a human that's irresistible starts coming towards you."

"I hope I could do that. I'd be devastated if I attacked a human being. I don't think I could live with myself if that happened."

"You could and you would, Bella. Just don't get yourself in a state about it. Jasper was a true vampire for a long time, remember?"

"I know, and I still can't get my head around that either. He's too nice. I can't think of him as a murderer, which is technically what he is."

"I've never thought of him that way at all, even after he killed Peter and Anthony. Would you consider soldiers to be murderers?"

"No, not at all. When you think of it that way I suppose, you're right. If you have to kill to defend yourself or to survive, that's not murder."

"Does that analogy make you feel better?"

"Yes, definitely. Jasper wouldn't kill a human for food now as he knows he has a choice, but Anthony was our enemy and he was putting our lives and others at risk."

"If Jasper hadn't been willing to do it, I would have."

Bella shook her head in denial as that vision flashed through her mind. She couldn't imagine Alice killing anything other than an animal in the forest, when admittedly she did look pretty ferocious when she was tucking in to a struggling deer. When Jasper killed Anthony that night it was quick and clinical, with no bloodlust involved; a job that needed to be done. If Jasper or Alice hadn't killed him there and then, Aro would have done the deed anyway before moving on to the beach house to confront them all.

"So, Bella, back to the detective agency. Do you still think we should call it Cullen Special Investigations like we said in the forest?"

"No, I don't. I think it should be 'Connecticut Special Investigations' instead. The name would be more appropriate for the area but it would still be CSI."

"I agree, I think it's quite amusing; don't you?"

"Yes, I do. It should certainly attract attention when people are searching for a detective agency on the internet. I just hope our future clients won't be expecting Grissom and his team to turn up on the doorstep."

"Now that would be funny!"

"Do you know, Alice, I used to quite fancy Grissom; was that a bit weird because he was middle-aged?"

"No, not at all. I definitely thought Grissom had an interesting dark side, especially when he hooked up with Lady Heather; very edgy."

"Oooh yes, I remember those episodes, especially the one..."

"Come on, we're supposed to be talking about _our_ CSI!"

"Sorry. Okay, so are we going to set up an office, or are we going to work from home?"

"We'll have to have an office in town somewhere; we can't meet clients here. Jasper's looking for premises for the finance business so maybe we could get something in the same building."

"That's a good idea, as long as Jasper's office doesn't have a bedroom attached to it, like in Seattle. You won't be tempted to sneak off then for a bit of 'afternoon delight' when there's nothing to do."

"Spoil sport!"

Bella laughed then ducked as Alice threw a magazine at her. She was still feeling a bit embarrassed that the family had overheard her and Edward yesterday, but with everyone having super-sensitive hearing, it was going to be impossible for her and Edward to have any private time when they could really let loose. Their relationship was still relatively new, so love-making was on their minds constantly and they couldn't wait to be back in each other's arms after being apart during the day, so having an audience while they were at the beach house wasn't ideal.

Edward had already put the home he shared with Annabel up for sale. He didn't want to live there with Bella as there were too many reminders of his previous life in that house, especially the morning when he told Annabel he had been unfaithful. Not only that, he felt he should be at the beach house while his mother was recovering as she still needed 24/7 care.

Esme was still totally unaware that she wasn't human anymore and had to be watched constantly in case she wandered out of the house on her own. Carlisle had taken her for several walks along the beach, but she was still quite unsteady on her feet as she had been confined to a bed or chair for many years. Her limbs were straight and strong, but her balance was still unreliable. Her other movements were also unnatural for a human, in that she was faster and stronger than a woman of her age should be and she moved her limbs in a jerky, staccato-like fashion. On top of that, her brain couldn't compute distances yet. If she saw something she wanted, she would act like a toddler and hurtle towards it without thinking about the obstacles in the way, then would end up on the floor totally confused.

Carlisle had been almost constantly at her side since they were changed, but the extended family, which included Alice and Jasper, agreed they would be jointly responsible for her care until she achieved her potential. Every day there was a small step forward, like being able to remember an event that had happened the previous day, or recalling stories from the past, or just being able to join in the conversation with a relevant comment, so the family hoped the improvement would be steady and would continue until she could be trusted to be left on her own and would be able to go out into the world again without attracting attention. Until then, Bella had to resign herself to living at the beach house, which was no real hardship as the situation of the house was idyllic.

Anthony and Carlisle's father was already a very wealthy man when he emigrated from England to America in the 1920's. Years later, when he was nearly fifty, he met their mother who was twenty five years younger than him. They chose to settle in Connecticut, where he bought a long stretch of the undeveloped coastline while land was still relatively cheap and he built the main part of the house with his own hands out of locally produced wood. Both the boys had been born and brought up in the house and Anthony had never left it, apart from a period of about five years when he lived in halls at Yale.

During his lifetime, their father had refused hundreds of offers from developers who wanted to build in this now very desirable part of the country, as it had the potential to become yet another exclusive resort for businessmen and their families escaping from New York for the weekend. Anthony and Carlisle had continued to receive offers after they inherited the property, but like their father, they were determined to preserve the natural beauty of this stunning stretch of coastline and not have it destroyed by multi-millionaires moving in with their fast cars and luxury yachts as had happened on both sides of their land.

The house was the only one for over half a mile on either side and nearly half a mile inland, so it was totally isolated. A narrow single-track road led from the highway through the dunes to the house and the only sounds they could hear when they were sitting out on the deck was the constant noise of the waves rushing up the sandy beach, combined with the intermittent cries of sea birds. If an uninvited visitor in a car was traveling towards them they could hear it coming before they could see it as part of the track was hidden due to the contours of the landscape. Occasionally they would get hikers or curious visitors walking on the dunes or along the beach, but few stopped to say hello or bother them in any way. Anthony had extended the house after his father's death, adding a spacious ornate glass conservatory on one side, and their mother would sit in her armchair enjoying an unbroken view of the as yet unspoiled and spectacular stretch of coast until her death just over five years ago.

Edward was used to living in isolated spots as he had been brought up in the house in the forest that surrounded Forks. But Bella's ultimate goal had always been to escape from small-town America and move to a bustling city with shops and theatres, bars and restaurants. She had loved living and working in Seattle and was already beginning to miss the buzz of urban life. Even though she knew she would be happy wherever Edward was, she prefered being amongst people and she wasn't sure how long she would survive being out on such a limb.

Alice snapped her fingers as she could see that Bella's mind was miles away. She wanted her back to focussing on the detective agency again.

"Okay, so we've got to find some premises in town, then set up a website to get the business. Then we'll just sit and wait for the phone to ring."

"What sort of work do you think will come our way?"

"It's hard to say. Probably cases where the client doesn't want to involve the police, or crimes where the police haven't got time to investigate or have given up investigating."

"I suppose so. Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see."

"So, it's agreed. We'll look for some premises, set up a website and CSI Connecticut will be in business."

"Okay. We'll give it a go. At least we'll be doing something that'll fill our time. It's funny, Alice, but up until the day I went on sick leave, from the moment I left university I've worked almost non-stop with hardly any time off, apart from when Jacob died. Now, I'm trying to fill my days because I've nothing to do."

"Do you want to do something today?"

"What do you mean?"

"Edward and Carlisle are at the lab and Jasper won't mind staying at home with Esme. We could go out somewhere; be normal girlfriends for a while."

"I don't know; what do you want to do?"

"Shopping?" Alice suggested hopefully.

"Oh no, I don't want to go shopping. Why don't we just go out for a drive? I don't know this part of the world at all. I'd love to have a look around; see what's in the neighborhood."

"Okay. Go and get changed then."

"I'm okay like this."

"No you're not. It's sunny out there. You've got to cover-up completely. Long sleeves, jeans, dark glasses, hat; the works. I don't want to see any skin showing.

"Alright, I'll see if I've got a clean burka in my wardrobe."

"Very funny," Alice replied, and then they both burst out laughing.

* * *

Half an hour later they were driving through the beautiful Connecticut countryside in Alice's yellow Porsche that four weeks ago had been on the other side of the country. Alice had driven the car from the west coast to the east when she returned to Connecticut after going back to Forks when Edward and Bella found out that Carlisle and Esme had been changed. She was accompanied on the return journey by Molly, Bella's cat, who meowed the whole time unless she was asleep. Apart from stopping for gas and to let Molly out on a harness to do her business, Alice didn't pull over once for a break as she didn't need to sleep, so she did the three thousand mile journey in just over two days.

Jasper stayed behind in Forks for another week to close up Cullen House and also to commence transferring their business to the other side of the country, which meant moving out of his office in Seattle. He drove back east in his much more sensible Grand Cherokee, but also dragging a large trailer that was completely stuffed full of clothes, bags, shoes and make-up; in other words all the things that Alice insisted she couldn't live without, plus a few bags of his and Bella's clothes that made up about one tenth of what Alice had demanded. Now, there was no need to go back to Forks or Seattle; this was their new home for the next twenty or so years, before the curiosity of others forced them to move on again.

Alice put her foot down hard on the gas pedal while they were driving along the winding country roads; she loved flinging the car around twists and turns, testing the car to its limit. Bella was clinging on to her seat for dear life; regretting suggesting a road trip while gritting her teeth together and occasionally shutting her eyes, even though she knew that if Alice's skill as a driver failed her and they wrapped the Porsche around a tree, they would walk away from the crash totally unscathed.

The yellow bullet roared through woodland tunnels of reds and gold's as the afternoon sun flashed through openings in the colorful autumn canopy. When the trees either thinned out or came to an abrupt end, wide vistas of immaculate farmland would come into view, or untended patches of scrub that had been left fallow for wildlife to roam and thrive. Alice would pull off the gas as they passed through some of the numerous small settlements dotted around the area that only had a few houses, a store and gas station, as they didn't wish to draw attention to themselves. But as they traversed this small but beautiful State, they were enamoured by the richness of the countryside and now realised why this part of the United States was such a desirable place to live.

As they were approaching another small community, Bella picked her purse from the floor of the car and pulled out her wallet.

"Alice, can we stop at the next store; I need to buy cat food for Molly."

"Sure, I'll pull up as close to the door as possible. Can you get some magazines for Esme and the latest Vogue if possible?"

"I doubt whether they'll have Vogue in such a small place as this."

"You'd be surprised; there are a lot of rich people from New York who have second homes around here."

They could see a convenience store right ahead that had a parking lot directly in front, so Alice swung the car off the road and reversed into one of the bays. Bella jumped out and walked quickly into the store while Alice stayed in the car as she wanted to text Jasper to say they were on their way back. As Bella pushed the door open, a bell jangled and a woman who was sitting behind the counter jumped nervously.

"Good afternoon," Bella called out, cheerily.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Can I help you with anything?"

"I'm just after cat food and magazines. I don't suppose you have this month's Vogue in yet?"

"Yes ma'am, bottom shelf over there. The cat food is in the next aisle."

Bella picked up the Vogue with a look of resignation on her face when she thought about Alice's smug expression when she handed it over, then she selected several other magazines that she thought Esme might find entertaining plus a local newspaper. She wandered over to the next aisle where she picked up some boxes of Molly's food and a bottle of Edward's favourite coconut shower gel. As she was looking around for anything else she might need, she could see the lady behind the counter looking anxiously at the door. A man, who Bella thought might be her husband, was behind her, watching the CCTV monitor closely and Bella could see a corner of Alice's Porsche clearly on the screen.

As Bella walked towards the counter to pay for the items, she spotted another car pulling up opposite Alice's, but no-one got out.

"Is everything okay?" she asked the lady who had a smiley face badge on her chest and the name 'Jean' printed on it.

"I hope so, ma'am. There's been a string of attacks on convenience stores in the area lately, and we're very nervous of any strange cars that pull up. We know our regular customers, but when your car drew up we didn't recognise it. We don't recognise the car that's just pulled up opposite yours either."

"I'm sorry to hear that; that must be very worrying for you. Are the police doing anything about it?"

"Not really. There's hundreds of stores like this in the state, so it's impossible for the police to guess who's going to be robbed next and they can't guard us all. They've done one store not far from here twice!"

As Bella was paying for her goods and the man was packing them for her, Alice unexpectedly came in through the door and walked quickly up to Bella.

"Don't panic, but the two guys in the car that's just pulled up are waiting for us to drive away so they can rob the store. Stay here and look after these folks while I'll convince these assholes to leave."

"Shouldn't we phone the police?" the man asked nervously.

"No. Just wait a moment. I don't want them to think we've spotted them or they may start shooting. I'll be back shortly."

Alice turned and made her way outside, but instead of getting back in her car, she walked straight past it and with a broad smile on her face she tapped on the driver's window of the black sedan that still had the engine running. The young, heavily tattooed man wound his window down and gruffly said, "What's up, lady?"

"Hi guys, just a word of warning. If you're thinking of going in the store, don't have anything that could be mistaken for a gun under your jackets. There are two armed policemen hiding behind the counter and they might be a bit trigger-happy."

"Oh right, thanks darlin'. No worries, we're just parking up here for a rest."

The driver grinned at his accomplice and revved the engine, then drove off at speed. As they disappeared into the distance, Alice heard one of them saying, "That was fucking lucky, the stupid bitch. We'll just hit the store in the next town instead."

Alice turned on her heel and ran quickly back into the shop.

"Now phone the police, and tell them which way they're heading." Alice scribbled a description of the men and their licence plate on a piece of paper and handed it to Jean's husband, if that's who he was.

As the man dashed into the back office to make the call, Jean looked at Alice in amazement.

"How did you know they were going to rob the store? Their car windows were completely closed when they pulled up."

"I can lip-read. I worked in a school for deaf children a few years ago and learned how to do it. They planned on robbing two stores today; this one, then one in the next town while the police were all heading towards your store."

"Oh my god. My husband and I don't know how to thank you; we've been so worried for the last few weeks. If the police get them we'll be so grateful."

"You're welcome ma'am."

Alice picked up the bag of shopping and got hold of Bella's arm and pulled her towards the door.

"Come on Josie, we've got to get going; Fluffy will be starving by now!"

"Aren't you ladies going to stay and talk to the police?"

"No, you and your husband can take the credit if you want; just say you saw them waving a gun around in the car and they saw you phoning the police. We'd rather not be involved if that's okay."

Alice dragged Bella out of the shop leaving the grateful couple behind. As Alice reversed the car onto the road to go back the way they came, which was in the opposite direction the robbers took, they could already hear police sirens in the distance.

"Why did you call me 'Josie' back there, Alice?"

"I don't want the police trying to track us down as witnesses. If the storekeepers mention us and our descriptions go out on news bulletins, the police will say they are looking for someone called Josie. If the public who are watching the bulletins don't know a Josie, they won't bother looking closely at the pictures."

"Very clever; I hope you're right."

"I think we need to make our own 'quick getaway' now, Bella, before the police catch up with us and start asking us questions,"

"Too right, Alice. I just hope they don't look at the CCTV and see a bright yellow Porsche in the parking lot. There can't be too many of these in Connecticut."

"I don't think they'll bother. They'll catch these guys red-handed at the next town so there'll be no need to involve us."

"I hope so. Can we go home now? I've had enough excitement for one day."

Alice chuckled and sped off down the road and within half an hour or so they were back at the beach house. Carlisle and Edward were still out, either at the lab or sailing. Jasper and Esme were sitting out on the deck watching some yachts that were racing along the horizon and Molly was fast asleep on Esme's lap.

Jasper looked up as they approached.

"Have you girls had a good day?"

Alice went up to Jasper and kissed him on the forehead.

"Great, thanks. We've decided to go with the idea of running a detective agency so we're going to look for some premises in town tomorrow. Do you want to come?"

"Is that all you've done this afternoon?"

"Not at all," Bella piped up. Alice confronted two armed men and we stopped a store from being robbed!"

Jasper looked at them with amazement.

"Isn't that the sort of thing that's supposed to happen _after_ you've opened the agency?"

* * *

 **Bella is obviously still nervous about being in human company, but that's to be expected. Also she's still not used to being an immortal, but Alice's driving is enough to frighten anyone to death!**

 **Next chapter we get to know some more about Ben, and Carlisle opens his heart up to Edward. It's the calm before the storm, but at the end of the chapter you will see that already the clouds are darkening.**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's Edward's turn again this chapter. Going back to work seemed like a good idea at the time, but it's not as easy as he thought it would be as he totally messed up in front of Ace. Will he be able to keep control of himself in front of his other colleauges, or are his days at Masen Research numbered?**

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE - Revenge

* * *

Edward carefully walked away from Ace's room, concentrating hard on every movement of his body. He could feel Ace's eyes boring into the back of his neck and somehow he could sense that Ace hadn't believed a word he had said about being bitten by one of Madonna's fleas. He knew he had made a grave mistake by standing up too quickly when he got up to leave and was in no doubt that Ace had noticed and was probably wondering what the hell had happened back there.

"Shit, damn, blast, fuck," he muttered under his breath as he focussed on every footstep, forcing himself to walk slowly and carefully along the long corridor. "I've got to be more careful or this isn't going to work."

It was another routine Monday morning in Masen Research and the laboratories were slowly beginning to fill up with a hundred or so scientists and technicians ready to get down to another week of research and development, all hoping to make a vital contribution towards inventing a miracle drug or treatment for some of the most deadly or debilitating diseases known to man. But unless he was able to behave like a human at all times, Edward was starting to realise that this may be the last Monday morning he would be spending at the lab and he would have to re-think his life plan with some urgency.

As he made his way along the corridor heading for Ben's lab, his senses were now being bombarded by the aroma of hundreds of humans in close proximity and he recognised that his vampire instincts were already selecting the sweetest scents to pursue in order to feed. He stopped in his tracks and focussed on not breathing for a moment; closing his eyes so he could concentrate on maintaining control. For a brief second he almost lost it, but was distracted when he heard his name being called out.

Colleagues he hadn't seen for weeks were walking towards him, most of whom were dragging off their winter coats as they came into the warm building and at the same time balancing breakfast rolls or coffees in their overloaded hands, the latter to kick start them into another productive day at work. A chorus of "Welcome back, Doctor Masen," or variations on that theme, followed him all the way to Ben's lab which was located near the end of the same corridor as Anthony's lab and also had windows overlooking the lake. Before Edward went through the door, he took several breaths of less contaminated air to calm himself down and when he felt confident that he could cope with the scent of whoever was in there, he knocked on the window to attract Ben's attention then opened the door with his master key.

Ben's lab had it's own personal coffee machine and as Edward walked in, Ben was kicking and cursing it at the same time. When the machine finally started whirring, he let out a satisfied sigh as it delivered his drug of choice into a polystyrene cup. Edward noticed three empty cups on the desk already, so it was obvious that Ben's caffeine addiction was still not under control. He grinned to himself when he thought about how much coffee he used to consume, which was not in Ben's league but fairly close, but the smell of coffee now made him feel nauseous and he hadn't missed it at all until now, when a hit of caffeine would have probably done him some good.

Ben was roughly the same age as Edward and they were very similar in height, build and colouring, so much so that they had often been mistaken for brothers while they were at Yale. That's where the similarities ended though, as they had totally dissimilar leisure interests and a completely different circle of friends. They had never socialised together, apart from at university functions where it had been mandatory to attend, or the annual Masen Research dinner that was normally held at the local country club.

Ben's parents were regular blue-collar working folk and Edward had always graciously acknowledged that Ben had to study twice as hard to achieve a place at an Ivy League university than he had needed to. Carlisle and Anthony were both past students of Yale and they had actively supported Edward's application to their old college and he had been accepted without attending for interview, whereas Ben had to achieve far superior grades at high school than Edward had needed just to get a foot in the door. Also, Anthony's Nobel Prize was a factor in why the red carpet was rolled out for Edward when he turned up on the first day, but Ben was just another anonymous but exceedingly clever student, delighted to be given the chance to shine in one of the top universities in the world. This inequality of opportunity hadn't been a problem when they were students, as both respected each other's intellect, however Ben's younger brother, Tom, had crossed swords with Edward in the past, referring to him as an 'over-privileged shit' or other such derogatory names. They also had 'history' in another respect, but recently they had buried the hatchet and now tolerated each other's presence when they met, mainly because Edward had helped Ben get through a very difficult period in his life.

While they were studying, Edward and Ben had a healthy respect for each other's work, but there was still professional rivalry between the two of them as they were both after the same academic prize that Edward eventually won. When they finished their PhDs at the same time, Edward invited Ben to come and work for Anthony; not because he wanted to continue their acquaintance, but because he didn't want Ben to become a competitor working for another company. Ben had been the second best bio-medical student in the university that year; the number one student of course being himself, and Edward knew that fact galled Ben somewhat. However, he had been an exemplary employee and had been behind one of the lab's most lucrative discoveries. Edward had always trusted him implicitly which was why he had asked him to look after the lab alongside Ace and Jane.

"Coffee?" Ben offered.

"No thanks; I've kicked the habit at last while I've been away and my headaches have gone completely. You should try it."

"Nah; I can't function until I've got about five of these things down me. It's coffee or cocaine; coffee's cheaper!"

"I hope you're still off the drugs, Ben; that was not a good time for you."

"I haven't touched them for over a year now, Edward. Forcing me go to the Clinic did the trick, so thanks again for that."

"I wouldn't have done it for any other employee, you know that. Keeping your habit from Anthony was the only deceitful thing I ever did while we worked together, but now I'm in charge, the no-drugs policy will be adhered to rigidly, and that includes you. No more chances."

"I get the message," Ben replied. "You know I appreciate everything you did for me. I could've been dead by now."

"I only did it because we go back a long way and now, because you will be eternally grateful to me, I have your balls in my grasp."

Ben laughed and looked down at his crotch, then grabbed his balls as if to say, "Their mine, whatever you say!"

Ben brought his coffee back to the bench and sat on a stool next to Edward.

"Did you find Ace?"

"Yes, thanks. I had a chat with him about some security issues; nothing too important though. Anthony and I had different views about computer security so I just told him what I expected in return for his pay cheque."

"Was he okay with that?"

"Yes, totally fine. We're singing from the same song sheet so he had pre-empted what I wanted to change. Sometimes I think he's a mind-reader."

"He's probably reading your private e-mails, the fucking geek. His brain frightens me."

Edward chuckled and nodded his head in agreement.

"So, new boss, what do you want to know?"

"I just need an update, Ben. I'd like a progress report on each project."

To protect their research, the scientists in each laboratory had no idea what their colleagues in the other labs were working on and there was a strict rule that nothing was discussed outside the lab with anyone other than Ben, Anthony or Edward. Quite a few employees in the past had been sacked for this, including some of the best medical scientists in the country, but it was written in big letters on their contracts that these were the rules, with no exceptions.

Ben reached over to his keyboard and brought a document up on his computer screen. The spreadsheet had the word 'Daytona' at the top, as each lab was named after a racing circuit. Ben's lab was 'Imola', the lab opposite was 'Brands Hatch' and so on. Anthony had been a fast car enthusiast and every room in the building had a name linked to Formula One or Nascar. Anthony's lab was called Brooklands, which was one of the oldest circuits in the world, but now no longer functioning as the grounds inside the sloping track had been turned into a shopping mall and business park. On the wall of his lab, Anthony had an original painting of the track when it was in its heyday in the 1930's and dotted around on his desk and shelves were several beautiful models of classic racing cars from every decade of the sport.

"Daytona are doing fine. They're nearly at the end of the final stage of tests so it will be human trials next; that's if the treatment gets a licence. I can't see any reason why it won't be granted so we'll be applying for the licence in the next few weeks. Scott has been in touch with the University and they have a list of patients with advanced rheumatoid arthritis who are willing to take part in the trial. So that looks positive."

"That's good news. I wasn't worried about Daytona while I was away. What about Les Mans; they had come to a full stop when I left."

"That's not so good. The line of research they were following didn't produce any positive results when they tested the drug on rats, so they are trying another tactic. Gene therapy as you know is trial and error. They'll get there, but it will probably take a year or two longer than planned."

"That's a shame. I really thought they were on to something a few months ago. Oh well, you can't win them all."

Ben went through every lab's work in detail with Edward. They had been poring over the reports and spreadsheets for nearly an hour when Edward remembered he had left Carlisle sitting out by the lake. This time he carefully stood up from the lab stool and pretended to stretch out, even though he didn't need to, but as he moved away from the bench, he noticed that the sun was shining on his left hand and his skin was shimmering in the light. He quickly slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and moved away from the sunbeam. Fortunately Ben hadn't noticed as he was putting away some files in a drawer under the bench.

"Thanks for bringing me up to date and for keeping an eye on things while I've been away," Edward stammered, knowing he'd slipped up again. "I can see where I'm needed now so I'll plan my week accordingly."

"No worries, Edward. That's what you pay me for. Looking after the lab hasn't been a problem; you've got some good people here."

"Yes, I know, Ben, and you're one of them."

Ben flicked his hand up dismissively then gave Edward a grateful grin.

"Did you manage to get away at all; have a holiday anywhere?"

"Not really. I went back to Seattle for a couple of weeks and helped my girlfriend pack her apartment up. Then we came back here and stayed with dad while he was recovering. We've moved into Anthony's house for the moment."

"That was quick work, Edward. You only broke up with Annabelle about two months ago. Your new girl must be something else. I'm looking forward to meeting her. Is she a scientist?"

"Yes, Forensic; she used to work for Seattle CSI."

"Is she transferring her job over here then?"

"Possibly, but she hasn't made her mind up what she wants to do. At the moment she's just getting used to living on this side of the country."

"What's her name?"

"Bella."

"Nice name. Funny, you used to call Annabelle Bella sometimes."

"How did you know that?"

"I overheard you call her that at the Country Club when we had our annual lab dinner."

"Really? I can't remember ever calling her that in public."

"Well you did. Is Bella tall and blonde like your previous ten girlfriends?"

"No, she's small and a brunette."

"That's unusual for you. Have you known her long?"

"We went to high school together; I bumped into her again when I went to visited Seattle."

Edward was getting slightly irritated with the way this conversation was going as Ben didn't normally pry into his personal life so he decided to bring it to a halt by leaving.

Ben got up to attack the coffee machine again as Edward walked towards the door.

"Are you staying here all day, Edward?"

"No. I'm taking my dad home now as I know he'll be tired. He's still having treatment so I'm not letting him push himself, even though he's itching to get back to work. We might go out on the boat later if he's okay and the weather stays fine. I'll be in tomorrow; I'll probably work in Les Mans all day if you're looking for me."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

Edward unlocked the door and as he went through, Ben shouted out.

"Why don't you bring Bella to the country club tonight? My brother's been staying the weekend with me and he's not going back to Massachusetts until tomorrow morning, so we're having dinner at the club. You haven't seen Tom in ages."

"Thanks, but Bella and I have plans this evening. Another time, maybe."

"Okay. See you tomorrow."

Edward left the lab and locked the door behind him. As he was making his way to one of the external doors that led out to the lake, he thought about Ben's invitation to have dinner at the club. Ben knew he wasn't comfortable in Tom's company as they had recent history, so wondered why he had invited them. In all the time he had known Ben they had never socialised unless they were part of a large group, so he was slightly suspicious of his motives. "Maybe it's because I'm the boss now and he's sucking up to me," Edward thought. But Edward dismissed that idea immediately because there was nowhere further up in the company's structure that Ben could aspire to be promoted to. You were either the owner or an employee; there was no board of directors as the lab was privately owned, so why Ben would want to meet Bella and have dinner with her was a mystery, especially if Tom was there.

Edward opened the external door and could see Carlisle sitting on Anthony's bench by the lake. From the back his father looked old and careworn. His thinning fair hair looked scruffy, as though he had been running his hands through it. His shoulders were slumped and he was staring into space, not moving. Edward watched him for a moment and wondered how he was going to help his father come to terms with his new life. He didn't know whether vampires could be depressed, but Carlisle was showing signs that he was possibly regretting the choice he had made and Edward had sensed that he had decided that eternal life was wrong.

As he stood on the step, trying to imagine what was going through his father's mind, he thought back to when Alice and Jasper had told them about Peter and how Peter had coerced Jasper into killing him. Bella had asked why Peter hadn't committed suicide if he wanted to die after his wife was murdered, and Alice had explained that a vampire's instinct for survival was so strong it was impossible for their species to kill themselves. Edward wondered whether Carlisle knew this and was therefore looking at an un-ending future with despair.

Without turning, Carlisle called out.

"What are you standing there for, son? Come down here and sit with me on the bench."

Edward realised that Carlisle had probably heard him opening the door. HD ears meant that it was impossible to creep up on a vampire as they could hear even the faintest of movements.

"Just admiring the scenery, dad. The leaves are starting to drop now; it'll be winter soon."

"I know. This fall was a season I never thought I'd see again and it is very beautiful."

Edward carefully walked down the grassy slope that was still covered in dew and sat on the bench next to Carlisle. The sun was glinting off the lake and the woodland on the far side was full of the noise of birds. It was an idyllic morning and would probably be a superb sailing day, as a gentle breeze was moving around the tops of the trees. They were about fifty miles inland so the wind would most probably be even livelier on the coast so Edward decided to suggest taking the boat out when they left.

Edward took hold of his father's hand and gripped it firmly.

"Dad, are you regretting your decision to let Jasper change you and mom?"

"In some respects, yes. I know it's only been six weeks or so for me, but I'm worried about your mother; she hasn't progressed as I'd hoped."

"It's not just that, is it?"

"No, Edward. It's the thought of having endless life that's bothering me the most. I keep thinking about Aro and those other two creeps who were sitting in our house that night. I don't want to end up like them. I don't want to go on and on for thousands of years, not wanting to live but being too afraid to die. And who is going to take that decision for your mother? She may not have the capacity to decide for herself."

"But you were ready to commit suicide when the pain from cancer got too much. What's the difference now?"

"The difference was I was dying then. My death was inevitable; I was just going to hurry up the process and cut out the painful bit at the end. Vampires don't have a choice; they just go on and on and on. It's not right, Edward."

"You said 'in some respects'. What do you see as the positives then?"

"Spending time with you; getting to know Bella; holding your mother in my arms again and seeing her looking at me with love in her eyes. They're the bonuses. Don't get me wrong, Edward, I'm grateful I'm still here and not pushing up the daisies like Anthony, but it's the long term future I can't get my head around. You live your life expecting to be on the earth for eighty or so years, not eight hundred, or eight thousand; that's impossible to contemplate. What's the world going to be like then? Not only that, Edward, but our deaths are not going to be natural – they're going to be violent. We're either going to be ripped apart or burned alive, or eaten by werewolves if you believe the fairy stories."

"I never thought about that, dad. I'm just relieved Bella and I were given a choice and we could have some time together. We would've been pushing up daises too if Aro hadn't been lenient that night. At the moment I'm not thinking about me dying, or Bella dying, or even living without her. Trying to blend in with the mortal population is my biggest concern and I'm not doing that very well at the moment."

Carlisle turned to Edward with a horrified look on his face.

"What happened?"

"I moved too quickly in front of Ace and my hand was caught by a sunbeam in Ben's lab, but luckily he didn't spot it."

"Oh Jesus, that's a relief; I thought you'd bitten someone. Did Ace notice?"

"Yep! He's probably thinking I've been experimenting on myself with a new wonder-drug."

Carlisle laughed and eventually Edward joined in. They both knew that whatever Ace was thinking, the idea that his new boss was a vampire would probably not be on his radar.

"Shall we go before anything else happens?" Carlisle said as he got up slowly.

"I think we'd better, and be careful how you move; the grounds are covered by security cameras."

Edward helped his father up the slippery slope and back into the building. As they walked through the door, the concentrated smell of humans assaulted Carlisle's senses for the first time.

"Holy Cow!" Carlisle exclaimed and gripped onto Edward's arm. "Now I understand why your mother was unable to walk past _Dunkin' Donuts_ without buying one when we were courting. Get me out of here fast."

Edward was still chuckling at that image as he propelled his father past Jane's desk and out through the doors into the parking lot.

"The marina?" Edward suggested.

"Definitely," Carlisle agreed. "Get me away from humans as far as possible and as quickly as possible. I know vampires don't need to breathe, but I need to get some fresh clean air in what's left of my lungs, pretty darned quick."

* * *

In a sparsely furnished office only a short distance from the perimeter fence surrounding Masen Research, a laptop was recording information that was emanating directly from the vast building that dominated this quiet area of Connecticut. The owner of the laptop was bent over the desk, carefully studying the images that were appearing on the screen, delighting in the knowledge that Edward Masen had finally returned to work. The watcher had been patiently looking forward to this day for six long weeks; but at last Edward had returned from his break after abandoning the lab without warning after Anthony's death so he could follow the tramp back to Seattle. The gossip in the lab was that he had come back to the east coast, bringing the tramp with him, and they were now shacked up together in the house on the beach.

Now that Edward had returned, the prize that had been just out of reach when Anthony Masen died was therefore attainable again. There was a good chance that the final piece in the puzzle would be found and the antedote to death would be discovered and would manifest itself in the shape of a pill. Whoever claimed ownership of the end product of Anthony's research would become a billionaire overnight and the watcher was determined that the person was not going to be Edward Masen.

Edward was a scientist, and the person staring at the laptop was counting on professional curiosity getting the better of him, as the temptation to finish what Anthony had started would eventually be impossible to ignore. That would be the time to strike, and the blow would be devastating. Once the recipe for the anti-ageing drug had been produced, irrefutable evidence of Edward's crimes that had been amassed over the last three months would be sent to the police. Edward would be arrested and after a trial, he would probably be locked up for the rest of his life. Regretfully, the watcher thought, Connecticut didn't have the death penalty, as it would have been the ultimate triumph if what had made the Masen family rich was going to end Edward's life, hopefully painfully. A lethal injection of drugs would be Karma.

Enough damning evidence had already been stored on the laptop to put Edward and other members of his family in prison for good, but that was a different goal than what was initially envisaged when the plan to finish him was devised. That was just to steal enough of Masen Research's secrets to break Edward financially and professionally. Even though evidence to do both was on the laptop, that wasn't enough for the warped and twisted mind of Edward's adversary. What this person wanted now was an even bigger prize; the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake, which was to find out how to produce the drug that Anthony had been searching for and to sell that knowledge to the highest bidder.

Revenge would soon taste sweeter than maple syrup, and the person who was now gloating over his favorite image that was stored in the laptop's memory, was looking forward to the day when Edward Masen found out who had been out to finish him and why. But until then patience was what was required.

That was something this person had in abundance.

* * *

 **So, who is this person? Is it a he or a she? Is it a disgruntled ex-employee? An ex-lover? Someone from Edward's past? Someone the Lab had been testing a drug on with serious consequences? Someone Edward trusts, but obviously shouldn't? Jacob back from the dead (no, it's not him). Just a few ideas to get you thinking. Whoever it is has access to the labs somehow.**

 **Let me know what you think, but I'm not going to tell you if you're correct, or even whether you've met him or her yet. (evil cackle).**

 **Thanks for all your reviews and guesses - it's great reading them.**

 **Joan xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, this is it. The start of the slipperly slide towards danger. Put your seat belts on, take a deep breath, and hold on tight. It's going to start getting bumpy from now on.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX - Scents**

* * *

 **It's now three weeks after deciding to launch CSI on the unsuspecting population of Connecticut:**

"Right, Bella, we've got the premises sorted and our website is going live tomorrow. What haven't we thought about?"

"I don't know. I've never done anything like this before. You and Jasper are used to running a business – I haven't got a clue."

"Jasper will look after the IRS stuff and the book keeping, so there's nothing on that side for us to worry about."

"Do you _actually_ think we're going to make any money from this?"

"Yes, of course we are."

"You've got more faith than I have!"

"That's right, I have," Alice replied sounding smug. "Now, Annie Leibowitz, have you been practising with the long-lens camera like I asked you too."

"Yes, Boss. I've got some great photos of gulls if you'd like to see them and a blurry one of the couple having some outdoor loving in the dunes - before they took their clothes off I might add."

"I should hope so, you perv. I think that's it then. We'll have our first day in the office tomorrow and wait for the phone to ring."

"I'm taking a good book to read while we wait."

"Good idea; what are you reading?"

"War and Peace."

"Very funny, Bella."

Bella got up from her chair and wandered out onto the deck, leaving Alice to put the final touches on their website. It was definitely the end of autumn now and the air was very chilly. Earlier in the day she had been watching flocks of birds flying south to escape the on-coming winter and for a moment she felt like following them. She had been at the beach house for over two months now and frankly she was bored. Edward was at the lab every day, and even though she enjoyed Alice's company, she was starting to get fed up with her incessant chat about Dior or Gucci, or her new favourites, Vivienne Westwood and Victoria Beckham. Bella had never shown any interest in fashion and couldn't understand why Alice would be practically frothing at the mouth when she saw a dress or purse she wanted, or could spend hours poring over articles in magazines or features on the internet about the latest trends.

Esme was gradually improving, but they had little to talk about. Esme spent most of her day in the conservatory watching TV or reading magazines. She had tried reading a book, but her short term memory loss meant that she couldn't retain the plot of a long story in her head, whereas articles or short stories in magazines were perfect. They occasionally would talk about Edward when he was at high school and she loved hearing the story about Mike Newton getting drunk and Edward rescuing her from being molested by him. Bella had told Esme that Edward had made such an impression on her that night that no other man was good enough afterwards and she regretted now not trying to contact him again after he left for Yale.

As Bella wandered up and down the windswept deck, she truly hoped that the detective agency would inject some fun into her life and also a purpose. She had never felt so under-used before and was starting to feel resentful that Edward had slipped back into his pre-vampire existence so easily. She had offered to help out at the lab doing routine jobs until the agency got on its feet, but he was unexpectedly reluctant for her to accompany him to work and she felt a bit put out. The whole point of starting a detective agency was for her to be able to use her scientific skills if needs be and she would need an equipped lab to do this, so she couldn't understand why he had changed his mind as he had initially been enthusiastic about them working together.

Edward had just bought her a new silver Volvo to replace her faithful truck, as she had reluctantly accepted that it would never have made the journey east, but she was sad to see it go. She had gifted it to one of Jacob's young cousins just before she left Seattle for Forks to be changed, so she knew it had gone to a good home and not to the wreckers, which is where Edward wanted to send it. Now that she had her own wheels, she wasn't reliant on Alice or Edward to take her to places any more. She had driven around the local area several times to get to know her new neighborhood and got herself lost twice as the track to the beach house didn't have a zip code that was recognised by her Satnav. She had solved this problem by making 'home' the store that was nearest to their track, so if she could get the Satnav to take her there, then she could easily find her way back.

One day she thought she was being followed, but she had managed to lose the car when she beat it through a set of traffic lights. In her rear-view mirror it looked like a black BMW, but she wasn't good at recognising different makes of cars, especially foreign ones. When she told Edward in the evening what had happened, she said she couldn't be exact about the make, but she did recall that the licence plate started with a T. She was also sure there was only one person in the car, a man, but the windows were slightly tinted and she couldn't make out his face and watch the road at the same time.

It was starting to rain and as she turned to go back indoors she heard a vehicle coming towards the house at speed. She glanced up the track and saw it was the Cherokee travelling faster than usual through the dunes, hardly slowing as it swung onto their drive, causing a spray of gravel to fly up as it screeched to a stop. Jasper flew out of the car leaving the door open, then bounded up the steps in one leap going straight into the house without acknowledging Bella. She could hear raised voices coming from the study where Alice had been working, so she wandered inside to find out what had happened.

"Is there anything the matter?" she asked, looking from Alice's face to Jasper's and then back again.

"Vampires," Alice replied, with a worried expression on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Jasper can smell them. There must be a group of them in the neighborhood. If we can smell them then they might be able to smell us."

"Are we in danger, Jasper?"

"Possibly," Jasper replied. "If they want to take over our territory they could attack us. It's rare now, but it used to go on all the time when I lived in the south. We've just got to be on our guard until they've moved on. I've called Edward and he's on his way back now."

Bella stayed indoors but anxiously watched through the conservatory windows for Edward's car. A long forty minutes later she heard the unmistakeable sound of Anthony's Porsche coming down the single-track road. She rushed out to meet it and was in Edward's arms before he had a chance to stand up properly after getting out.

"Hey, hey, don't be frightened, Bella. Jasper said we'll be fine and Alice hasn't seen anything untoward in our immediate future."

"Are you sure; you're not just saying that?"

"No. Now let's go inside and talk to the others. We need to decide what to do if these vampires plan on paying us a visit."

They walked up the steps together and made their way into the living room where Carlisle, Jasper and Alice were waiting for them. Esme was watching an episode of Modern Family in the conservatory so they didn't bother disturbing her.

Jasper was sitting by the fire with his head in his hands as though he was deep in thought then he looked up and saw the others staring at him.

"I'm picking up the scent of three vampires but I can't tell whether they're male or female. Hopefully they're just passing through, but they may be curious and come our way."

"Is there any possibility we may have moved onto their territory?" Edward asked. "When you changed mom and dad, I presumed vampires hadn't lived around here before, so is it possible this area was their hunting ground?"

"Absolutely not," Jasper responded adamantly. I checked the neighbourhood while I was here on my own with them. The New York coven also confirmed there hadn't been any vampires in this area for years, so I thought it was safe."

Edward could sense that Jasper was more worried than he was letting on.

"Jasper, is there something we should know? There's a problem, isn't there."

"Yes. I recognised the scent of one of them as a vampire I've met before, but I'm not absolutely certain who it is. I'm wracking my brains trying to remember exactly where and when I came across it last. It could've been last year or a hundred years ago, but when I smelled it my instincts were immediately hostile so we must be on our guard. I can usually retain the precise memory of a scent for about a year, so it is definitely not that recent."

Alice walked over to Bella and put her arms around her.

"Don't worry, Bella. There are five of us and three of them. They won't know that three of us are 'new' vampires; they'll just see three strong males and two equally strong and feisty females, so if they knock on the door wanting an argument they'll soon realise it's a fight they're not going to win."

Bella nodded her head, but she was still frightened. Edward didn't look unduly concerned because he knew Jasper would be a formidable adversary if a vampire was stupid enough to attack.

Edward had noticed a while back that Jasper's arms were covered with faint scars that wouldn't heal and when his medical training got the better of him, he asked him how they got there. During the last few weeks, Edward had spent many hours with Jasper talking about his previous life before he met Alice. Jasper had told Edward about the vampire wars over territory that occurred over a hundred years ago in the south, and the vicious battles that took place between covens. Edward knew then that these marks of battle proved that Jasper was an experienced combatant due to the fact that he had survived, and it would be a brave or foolhardy vampire who would challenge him to a fight.

But Jasper couldn't hide his look of concern. Whoever was out there had unnerved him, and that was worrying Edward as he had picked up a vibe from Jasper that he was holding something back to protect Alice. Where that notion had come from Edward couldn't understand, but it was almost like he could tell what Jasper was thinking, or was he just guessing because of the expression on his face and the way he kept glancing protectively at Alice.

They didn't go to their rooms that night but sat out on the deck, watching the surrounding landscape that was lit only by moonlight. Occasionally they would spot movement in the dunes, but a few seconds later they would see the glint in a pair of eyes that belonged to a fox or other such feral creature. Only once, when Alice thought she had spotted a shadowy figure in the distance, did the group huddle together in a protective wall of resistance, but when nothing happened they went back to their positions until the sun rose above the horizon and the morning light spilled onto the beach and they felt safe enough to go back indoors.

About an hour after daybreak, Jasper and Edward went out to see whether they could pick up the scent again and were out among the dunes for about twenty minutes. When they got back, both of them looked concerned.

Edward gave the first report.

"They were definitely here last night. Jasper picked up the scent of three vampires in the dunes about three hundred yards away from the house. We followed it until it crossed the beach, then they must have waded into the sea as we lost it there."

Jasper was pacing up and down the floor, shaking his head from side to side.

"I just can't place whose scent it is. I know it's recent but I can't put my finger on it exactly. I know it will come back to me so I've got to be patient."

"Do you want me to see if I recognise it, Jasper?" Alice offered. "We've been joined at the hip for the last hundred years, so if it was someone we met recently, maybe I can remember."

Jasper's face looked as though he was going to say no, but then an expression of resignation crossed it and he relented.

"Alright. Come with me and I'll take you to the spot where I think they were watching the house."

Jasper and Alice went out the door leaving Carlisle, Edward and Bella wondering what to do next.

"Are you going to the lab today?" Bella asked Edward.

"No, not until these vampires have gone. I'm worried about leaving mom and dad on their own with Jasper if you and Alice are going to be in town at the agency."

With everything that had gone on over the last twelve hours, Bella had completely forgotten that they should have been on their way to open their offices up for the first time today. She wondered whether it had slipped Alice's mind as well, but finding these vampires was their number one priority now. They could pick up calls using the caller divert system, so if the phone was ringing off the hook at CSI they would know about it.

After about five minutes Jasper and Alice came back in through the door. Bella could see that Alice was shocked and immediately went over and held her hand.

"You know who it is, don't you?"

Alice nodded her head and sat down, as though her legs had given way underneath her.

"Yes, Bella. A vampire propositioned me when we visited the Denali's a few years ago. Jasper had an argument with him and we left immediately. It's one scent I will never, ever forget."

"I thought it might be him," Jasper added, "but I didn't want to unnecessarily upset Alice until I was sure. When I met him in Alaska, his scent was mixed with about ten other vampires who were at the house at the time, which is why I wasn't absolutely certain. I would know him again if I saw him though."

While Jasper was talking, Alice gave Bella a hard stare as if to say, "Don't let on you know about this, please."

Bella picked up on Alice's subliminal message and gave her hand a small squeeze to let her know she understood. This was the vampire who had snatched Alice from her bed in the mental hospital and had raped her in the hospital grounds. He had left her for dead after sinking his teeth into her, but luckily hadn't been able to drink enough of her blood to kill her before he was disturbed and escaped over the wall. Alice was taken back to the ward unconscious after the attack and two days later woke up as a vampire.

Bella was guessing that this vampire had picked up Alice's scent and maybe was planning on stealing her from Jasper, who was still unaware that this vampire was the one who took Alice's virginity. The vampire had probably backed off when he saw there were four other vampires standing in the way of what he wanted, but from what Alice had said about him when their paths crossed again in Alaska, he wasn't concerned about Jasper's claim over her; he wanted Alice as his mate, so there was a good chance he would come back for her.

"You don't think he's come looking for Alice, do you Jasper?" Carlisle asked.

"He probably wasn't actively seeking her out, but I'm certain he knows she's here now because her scent is all over the place."

Edward was shaking his head, wondering what the problem was.

"But you guys are married. He hasn't got a claim on her and I'm presuming Alice told him she wasn't interested?"

Alice chuckled, but in a sarcastic manner. "Oh I told him alright, Edward. I told him Jasper was my soulmate for eternity and if anything happened to him, I would go to the Volturi and end it rather than have anything to do with him."

"What did he say to that?" Bella asked.

"He said I was _his_ soulmate; _his_ singer. He wouldn't rest until I was his, even if it was just for a short time. When Jasper and I went back to Seattle we were expecting him to appear again, but he didn't show up all the time we were there. Tanya told us later that after we left he had tried to find out where we lived, but she refused to tell him, even when he threatened her. After a while we presumed he'd given up."

"I didn't," Jasper muttered. "I've been watching out for him since then, which means I must be losing my touch because I didn't recognise his scent immediately. If he claims Alice is his singer, he won't ever give up."

"Does this asshole have a name?" Bella asked.

"Alec," Alice and Jasper answered in unison.

Edward was still looking puzzled, wondering why Alice hadn't foreseen any of these events happening.

"Why couldn't you predict any of this, Alice? Couldn't you see him coming?

Alice shook her head; she was visibly upset so Jasper answered for her.

"We think Alec has a skill that shields his thoughts and intentions from everyone around him and he can also block any attempt to control his mind. I know several vampires who have come up against him in the past, and their skills have had no effect on him. He's a very dangerous vampire, with no morals or boundaries. He is universally hated, but he uses the fact that he's favoured by Aro to protect himself.

Carlisle heard Esme calling from the other room so he got up and went to see what she wanted. Edward grasped Bella's hand and pulled her outside as he wanted to talk to her.

"You and Alice mustn't be at the agency on your own until we get this problem sorted or they've left the area."

"I don't have a problem with that, Edward. I'm only going if Jasper is in the office upstairs. That means Carlisle will have to stay with Esme during the day if you're at the lab."

"He won't mind that; his heart's not in work at the moment so I think he'll be happy to stay here and carry on with his brain-training work with Esme."

Bella slipped her arms around Edward's body and laid her head on his chest.

"Being a vampire isn't as easy as we first thought, is it Edward?"

"No, it isn't, but it's still better than being dead.

* * *

As the morning sun disappeared behind a thick cloud, three vampires emerged from the sea, just far enough away from the beach house for them not to be spotted by anyone who might still be watching for them. They raced across the sand, faster than a human eye could see, and hid amongst the dunes primarily to dry out but then to decide what to do next.

Alec lay back against the sandy hummock with his head resting on a tuft of long grass and stared up at the grey clouds scudding across the winter sky. He took a long, measured breath and held the frigid air in his chest, as though he was savouring the taste of a fine wine before swallowing, then he slowly exhaled and took in another breath, holding it again, until every vestige of Alice's scent had been absorbed by his own body. After a three year search for the object of his desire, she was now only half a mile away from where he was lying and he was desperate. Her scent was all around him and the taste of her was on his lips, taunting him to storm the house and snatch her away from the vampire who claimed to be her soulmate. He guessed she knew he was nearby, as he had watched her last night from his vantage point in the dunes. But others whom he didn't recognise were there with his enemy, Jasper Whitlock, so he would have to bide his time.

He thought back to the day when he walked through the huge wooden doors of the Denali mansion in Alaska and had smelled for the first time the intoxicating scent of his singer. As he made his way through the vast house, frantically seeking out the female whose tantalizing scent was enticing him, he thought for one brief but ecstatic moment that at last he had found his soulmate; the female vampire who had been created just for him and who would travel with him for eternity. His desire to mate and exchange venom was overwhelming, so much so that it was already pooling in his mouth as he searched for her, and his erection was as hard as the rest of his body, twitching as he walked and pressing against the thick winter material of his pants.

As he entered the spacious living room where several vampires were congregating, many of whom he hadn't met before, his eyes instantly locked on the female whose luscious scent was drawing him towards her. But he stopped in his tracks, as if he had collided with an invisible wall, as the face he was looking at was one that he knew intimately, and for a moment he thought he was looking at a ghost.

The female he was now acknowledging as his singer was an unnamed girl he had snatched, fucked and fed from over a hundred years ago; a girl whose face, smell and taste had been imprinted on his memory ever since. Her terrified expression when he attacked her had haunted him from the moment he escaped over the wall of the mental hospital that night and he had lived with the bitter regret that he'd killed this particular human, because her blood had been the sweetest he had ever tasted and her human scent had stirred a feeling within him that he'd never felt before. Now she was here before him; a female vampire he could claim as his own, and a cold thrill spread through his body when he anticipated what he was going to do with her, whether or not she was cooperative.

But his delight at the situation was short-lived, as he realized that the arms this female were nestled in belonged to Jasper Whitlock, whose reputation as the most formidable vampire in this hemisphere was well known to him. With a great deal of effort, he restrained himself from ripping the girl from his grasp, but backed away quickly and left the room before caution was thrown to the wind. He left the house without talking to anyone and ran out onto the tundra heading north, not stopping until he was well over two hundred miles away. He was beside himself with rage at the situation, knowing that if this female was Jasper's mate, he would have no alternative but to fight to the death for her.

He stayed out on the freezing ice overnight planning what to do next. He knew he had to go back to the house as he was being drawn there by a force so compelling that he felt like a magnet being pulled towards the North Pole. As soon as it was light he set off, determined to fight Jasper for her or die in the attempt. On the way, he attacked two snowmobiles carrying three young Inuit humans out for some fun, devouring every drop of their blood so that he was pumped up ready for the battle. He left the corpses for the polar bears to eat then ran back ready to face the vampire who was keeping him from his singer.

The house was quiet when he crept into the hall, and after checking that she was not where she was before, he furtively stalked from room to room looking for his prey. Alice's scent was everywhere and this was affecting his ability to concentrate, so much so that trying to focus on the impending confrontation with Jasper was making him feel heady. That, coupled with the overwhelming desire for sex, was distracting him from focusing on how he was going to persuade her to come with him, willingly or unwillingly. When he finally came across her, outside on the terrace overlooking the lake, she was clinging to Jasper like a barnacle to a rock, and he knew that she knew who he was. Her eyes narrowed when she saw him and he could tell she was warning him to back off. As he moved towards her, she raised her left hand over her face and he saw the glint of diamonds on her finger and the unmistakeable gold of a wedding band.

As Alice and Jasper were surrounded by other vampires who were obviously their friends, he bided his time, waiting for the right opportunity to capture her. It wasn't until later on in the day, when he spotted Jasper talking to Tanya outside, that he guessed the female he now knew was called Alice would be on her own. Again he flew from room to room until he found her in the library reading a magazine by a window. He rushed over towards her and knocked it from her hand, pulling her to her feet.

"You recognized me, didn't you?" he hissed. "You're mine; I made you what you are so I'm claiming you as my mate."

"Get away from me, you bastard," Alice spat, forcefully but quietly, as she didn't want Jasper to overhear. "You have no rights over me. I'm married to Jasper; he's my soulmate. I want no-one else but him."

Alec had hold of her arms and Alice was twisting and turning trying to free herself, but Alec was too strong for her.

"Stop struggling; you're coming with me, or I'll kill you."

"Do it then. I'd rather be dead than be with you."

"Really? Then I'll kill Jasper instead and then you'll come running to me when you've no-one to look after you."

"If Jasper dies, then I'll go to the Volturi to end it. You're a filthy low-life and a rapist and you disgust me. Let go of me or I'll call for Jasper who'll rip you to shreds."

As Alice was fighting against his strong grip, Alec had to accept that he was in no fit state to challenge Jasper to a duel. His desire for Alice was clouding his thoughts and he knew if Jasper walked in and saw him manhandling his wife, he would be torn apart in seconds. Common sense prevailed so he gave Alice's arms one final squeeze and roughly let her go. As she was backing away from him Jasper entered the room.

"What's going on here?" he asked as he rushed to Alice's side.

"Apologies, Jasper," Alec said, trying to sound contrite but failing. "I propositioned her and she said she was with you."

"What do you mean you propositioned her? Doesn't a wedding band mean anything to you?"

"Not when she's my singer. You can't blame me for taking a chance."

"Really? Well that's tough on you isn't it, Alec, because Alice is _my_ wife, _my_ soulmate, _my_ singer, and that is never going to change."

"But one day something might happen to you, Jasper, or maybe she'll get bored with you and want a change. I'll wait for her, and one day she'll be mine, even if it takes a millennium.

Jasper advanced towards him with a murderous look in his eye but Alec backed off.

"I'm not going to fight you, Jasper. She'll come to me one day, willingly; you mark my words. She'll turn her back on you and walk straight into my arms."

Alice came out from behind Jasper and spat, "Never," in his face and then stood next to Jasper defiantly.

"One day, Jasper; one day."

Alec turned around and walked from the room laughing. Within five minutes, Alice and Jasper had left the Denali's house and were putting as much distance between them and Alaska as possible.

* * *

Alec had turned his gaze towards the house on the beach while he was going over every detail of that day in his mind, remembering how close he had been to her; recalling her exquisite scent and feeling the silkiness of her skin under his fingers. Every one of those thousand or so days since, he had regretted not taking Jasper on, there and then, whatever the consequences. Instead he had been compelled to traverse the North American land mass for the last three years, searching for any trace of Alice Whitlock, and now she was here, in Connecticut, within his grasp.

As he took another deep breath, drinking in the scent of his singer, he was already hatching a plan to make his prophecy come true. He would fight for Alice Whitlock if it was the last thing he ever did, and if his plan succeeded, very soon she would turn her back on Jasper and walk willingly into his waiting arms.

* * *

 **Alec is obviously deluded if he thinks Alice will leave Jasper for him voluntarily or even without a fight. I think Alice should come clean with Jasper and tell him about her past, don't you?**

 **Thanks for all your guesses last week on who the mole is. Tom is definitely leading the field at the moment, but I would like to give a round of applause to Jibson, who suggested Mike Newton. I _really_ wish I had thought of that. Thanks for the laugh.**

 **In chapter seven, believe it or not, CSI will finally open its doors.**

 **Joan xx**


	7. Chapter 7

**So, Alec is after Alice. He'll have to plan something really clever to get past Jasper, who's done and seen it all. While they are waiting for him to attack, life must go on for the Masens and the Whitlocks, so finally CSI gets to open its doors.**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN - Waiting

* * *

Edward and Jasper were sitting on the sand at the point where the dunes melted into the beach. It was about 3 am and pitch dark for a human, but their vampire eyes could see into the blackness more clearly than night-vision goggles and they could pick out shapes at vast distances. They were about a quarter of a mile away from the house, which was the limit that Jasper would risk putting between him and Alice until the Alec problem was sorted. Edward could clearly see Bella and Alice sitting on the deck and he could tell Bella was reading a book.

"There's absolutely nothing around here," Jasper said. "I haven't picked up their scent for over a week now."

"So, they've gone?"

"For the moment, yes. But they'll be back, I can guarantee it."

"I wish I had your skill, Jasper. When we first went out looking for them I definitely could smell something odd, but I couldn't pick out individual scents like you can. One of your ancestors must have shagged a bloodhound."

"Very funny, Edward. I probably had a better than average sense of smell when I was human without realising it, so mine is more acute than most vampires. Alice has a great sense of smell as well and her eyesight is absolutely phenomenal, but your sense of smell will develop over time. Your other senses are already much more acute than before aren't they?"

"Yes, my eyesight and hearing are incredible now and so are Bella's. I've never asked before but did Alice have any psychic powers when she was human?"

"She doesn't like to talk about her life before she was a vampire, but she did tell me that when she was a teenager she started seeing flashes of the future, which is why her father put her away in a mental hospital a few years before she was changed. That has really developed since I've known her, and now she can see the future in much greater detail. What skills did you have when you were human?

"I don't think I had anything unusual to be honest, apart from being sensitive to other people's moods. I always knew when my dad was pissed off with me before he opened his mouth; that sort of thing. My IQ was tested at Yale and that was pretty high, but apart from that I was just an ordinary Homo-sapien."

"I'm not so sure about that; I think there's more to you than even you realize, but time will tell. It takes a while for our skills to develop."

"Maybe I'll be able to see through walls, or clothes, or hypnotise people to do my bidding with just one look; that would be fun."

"You're a pervert," Jasper chuckled but then he frowned when he thought about the vampire that had been stalking Alice and what skills he had that he didn't already know about.

"I think there's something about Alec that Alice isn't telling me," Jasper mused. "I've always presumed that when he made a move on her in Alaska that was the first time they met, but I'm not so sure now."

"Have you asked her directly?"

"No, I didn't bother when it happened because Alice was terrified and just wanted to get away, even though she was defiant in front of Alec. We immediately left Alaska and I know Tanya and her family didn't let on to Alec that we lived permanently in Seattle. I was hoping he presumed we were nomads, like him, but as I said before, I've been watching out for him ever since it happened."

"Is the pull that bad? I mean, will a vampire persist even though he knows he's got a losing ticket?"

"Oh yes. I've seen some vicious fights that have gone on for years over a female vampire, and it normally is over a female; very rarely is it over a male."

"Vampires are still basically guys then; they think with their balls not their brains."

Jasper laughed, but this was really no laughing matter he thought. Alec's intentions could prove deadly if there was a confrontation and any one of them could fall victim if he came armed with back-up.

"Male vampires outnumber females about five to one, so you see where the problem is, Edward. A lot of females get killed in fights, like Charlotte did, or a female will try and fight off a vampire who comes on to them and then gets killed for rejecting him, almost like an honor killing."

Edward's eyes widened in horror when Jasper said that, but he didn't interrupt.

"Very few females adjust to life as a vampire; many lose it because their ability to have children is taken away from them. Some cannot come to terms with that and they become jealous of human mothers. After they've killed a few, they go to the Volturi to end it because they can't live with the guilt. That is really sad to see. Feeding off humans is abhorrent for most vampires, male or female, but the males seem to be able to live with their consciences far better than the females, so you can see how much more difficult life is for female vampires than males."

Edward took in what Jasper had said and looked up the beach to where Bella was sitting on the deck. He noticed that she was on her own now as Alice had walked down to the water's edge and was looking back at the house. He knew how lucky he was to have Bella with him and he resolved to take the utmost care of her so she would never decide that she didn't want to go on living or didn't feel she was missing out on life. Alice seemed happy with Jasper, but who knew what went on in her mind and whether she had times when she felt regret that she couldn't be human again. He recognised now what a real threat Alec was and that it was imperative that he was stopped once and for all.

"So Alec is a true vampire and feeds off humans."

"Yes, which is another reason why I don't think they are in the area; no-one has gone missing for the past week as far as I know."

"Shit; I never thought of that."

"Most of the people that go missing in America nowadays are killed by vampires, so human beings are not as degenerate as most people think. Peter and Charlotte lived off illegal immigrants coming over from Mexico or Cuba because no-one would be looking for them. There's one coven on the east coast of Florida that just feeds off fishermen in the area known as the Bermuda Triangle."

"You mean all the boats that are lost there are because of vampire attacks?"

"Of course they are! Vampires wait for storms, then attack any boat that's out there, because everyone will presume that the crew has just drowned and won't investigate any further. What do you think happened to the Marie Celeste? I knew the vampire who was totally responsible for that mystery."

"Hell, Jasper. I'll be reading history totally differently now."

* * *

Bella put her book on her lap and looked along the beach to where she could see Jasper and Edward deep in conversation. Alice was flicking through Vogue for the second time, books not really being her thing, and she sensed that Bella had stopped reading.

"Jasper thinks it will be okay to launch the website tomorrow and go into the agency. He'll be upstairs all the time getting his office up and running, so we should be safe."

"Do you think they've gone for good then, Alice?"

"No, they'll be back; I've sort of seen it."

"Really? Have you told Jasper?"

"No, not yet. It's not imminent and I can't see what's going to happen clearly, but we'll come out okay."

"How do you know?"

"Because I can see further into the future."

"Are you sure?"

"Ninety-nine percent, yes."

"How far?"

"I'm not saying. I never tell anyone what's going to happen because there's always the one percent chance that it might change, like Anthony's research never being published in the end. My gift is a curse sometimes, Bella. Unless you're really disciplined, you could start living your life differently because of something that might or might not happen in the future, and that's not good."

"I suppose so, I never thought of it that way."

Bella reflected on that statement for a moment and could see the logic behind it. Initially she was envious of Alice's ability, but now she was glad she didn't have that particular skill as dealing with the present was about as much as she could handle, never mind having to prepare for what was going to happen in the future. She was unhappy though that Alice hadn't confided in Jasper yet, as she knew she would never have been able to keep a secret so important from Edward.

"Alice, you should tell Jasper about Alec; at least tell him he was the one who changed you."

"I know I should, but he'll ask me why I didn't tell him in Alaska."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want them to fight. I was too scared of losing him. Vampires will fight to the death and I couldn't risk it. I had no idea how strong or experienced Alec was and I couldn't foresee the outcome at the time. I had to think really quickly and it was so frustrating not knowing whether I was doing the right thing or not."

"Well, tell him that; he'll understand."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes, Alice. He loves you; he's not going to be mad. He'll understand that you only wanted to protect him."

"Okay, I'll tell him. I'll just pick my time if that's okay?"

"It's your business, not mine."

"It's your business too, Bella. You and Edward will get dragged into this when they come back."

"It's best to be honest now then; do it sooner rather than later and then Jasper will have time to get used to the idea before he confronts Alec."

Alice didn't respond, but after a few minutes of contemplation she got up off her chair, jumped off the deck and slowly walked towards the water's edge. She needed to think without anyone giving her advice, even though she accepted Bella was probably right about being honest. But if Jasper knew Alec had raped her, he would want to go after him and tear him to pieces, but she didn't know enough about Alec to risk that. Was he in a coven now? If so, would they all retaliate if he was killed? Also, more worryingly, this was what happened to Charlotte; a rogue vampire had coveted her and challenged Peter to a duel. Peter won the fight, but Charlotte was killed in retaliation. Could this be history repeating itself? If she wasn't careful, this could start a feud like the ones Jasper had told her about that had happened in the south and she wasn't prepared to put her family at risk.

"My family," she said aloud, as though it was a revelation to her when she realised she had referred to the inhabitants of the house in that way. In the hundred or so years she had been with Jasper, she had never been part of a recognised family unit, and this was the first time she had thought about the six of them in that way; actually seven if you counted Molly. Even when she was a child and was being brought up in an ultra-religious, supposedly loving environment, she never felt as though she belonged in her 'family' as her gift alienated her from those who should have loved her unconditionally. But they didn't understand her gift and shunned her until they eventually had her committed to the asylum. Until she met Jasper she had never known real love, and now she realised that she loved the other four people she lived with and they in turn loved her.

Alice stopped walking along the beach and turned her back on the sea to look at the picturesque house that was illuminated only by the moon and the muted lights that were shining through the windows. Only a few months ago she was living on the other side of the country and had no idea of the existence of Bella or Edward, or Edward's family. Now she was living in Connecticut, on a beautiful, isolated beach, with the waves of a different ocean lapping around her legs, living in a lovely wooden house that she now considered to be her home.

Bella, her sister for all intents and purposes, was sitting on the deck reading her book, using the soft light that was filtering through the windows to illuminate the pages. Inside the glass conservatory that had been tacked onto the side of the house, she could see Carlisle and Esme cuddling up on one of the sofas with their arms around one another. Molly was fast asleep next to them with her legs in the air, oblivious, like Esme, to all the turmoil that was going on around her and most probably snoring contentedly. In the distance she could see Jasper, the love of her life, sitting on the sand with Edward, no doubt talking about his military past as she knew Edward was fascinated by the stories he told him about the Civil War. Everyone she loved was in her line of vision and she knew that she didn't have the courage to put her family in more danger.

"I can't tell him," she said out loud. "It might ruin everything; I might risk the lives of everyone I love."

She knew Bella had heard her as she put her book down on her lap and looked across at her.

"You must," she heard her whispered reply.

* * *

Alice put the key in the lock of the door that had the letters CSI etched on the glass.

"I now declare Connecticut Special Investigations well and truly open," she said as she pushed on the heavy door slightly too forcefully and it crashed against the inside wall.

Jasper and Bella cheered as they followed Alice through another glass door that she opened more carefully and into the office that had been decorated to Alice's specifications by the management company who owned the building.

"Excellent," she said, imitating Mr. Burns, as she spun herself around in her matt black leather office chair, beaming from ear to ear.

"I feel like I'm in a silent movie," Bella commented drily. There wasn't a dash of colour in the office; everything was either black, white or grey.

"It's called a monochrome palette, Bella," Alice responded sulkily then huffed.

"It's called boring in my book," Bella moaned.

Jasper stopped Alice's chair from spinning and bent over and kissed her on the lips.

"Good luck you two; I'll be upstairs if you need anything. Don't open the door to anyone you don't recognize. If in doubt, call me down first."

Jasper kissed Alice again then went back out the office door then up the internal staircase to his office which was directly above CSI's.

Bella wandered over to what she presumed was her desk and was already plotting how she could upset Alice's OTT office design by buying herself some brightly colored executive toys, but then thought, "Why bother? If it makes her happy you can put up with it."

Alice stopped spinning in her chair like a five-year-old and switched on her computer.

"The website went live this morning, so the phone should start ringing anytime soon."

"Right, I'd better quickly sharpen my pencil and get ready with my notepad; I presume you've foreseen all the business coming our way, have you?"

"Don't be so negative, Bella."

"How can I be anything else, when you've made the office look like a negative?"

"Har har har," Alice responded and poked her tongue out at her ex-BFF.

The phone didn't ring that day, or the next, or the next, but on the fourth day, just as they were closing the office as it was starting to get dark, the phone rang and they both nearly jumped out of their chairs.

"You answer it," Alice said.

"No, you answer it."

"You've got a better telephone voice than me."

"Just pick the phone up, Alice. I'll do the next one."

Alice made a rude gesture then picked up the receiver. Before she spoke she pressed the loudspeaker button so Bella could hear the conversation.

"Connecticut Special Investigations. Can I help you?"

"Is that CSI?"

"Yes ma'am, it is. My name is Alice, can I help."

"I hope so; I've lost my cat."

Bella disappeared under her desk and stuck her fist in her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud but Alice manfully maintained her composure and replied with lashings of sympathy.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, ma'am. How long has your cat been missing?"

"Since yesterday afternoon."

"Has he gone missing before?"

"No, she's never gone missing before."

"Is she a young cat?"

"No, Coco's eighteen. She didn't come in for her afternoon tea yesterday and I'm frantic."

Alice's eyes rolled up to heaven. The cat was obviously dead, but she couldn't say this to the lady on the telephone.

"That must be very worrying for you. I'll come out myself with my most experienced investigator and we'll see what we can find out. Would you give me your address?"

While Alice took down the details, Bella crawled out from under the desk.

"Are you really going to investigate this?" she whispered. "Have you gone raving mad?"

Alice waved her away as she finished the call.

"We'll be right on it, Miss Simpson. Just give us half an hour and we'll be there."

Alice put the phone down and waved the piece of paper in the air.

"You're nuts!" Bella said.

"No, I'm not. When Miss Simpson's mystery is solved, she'll tell a friend, who'll tell a friend and so on. Word will get around that Connecticut Special Investigations were kind enough to come out and solve 'T _he Mystery of the Missing Cat_ '. No job is too small in this business, because one job leads to another."

Bella shrugged her shoulders. Alice's logic made sense, so now they had to go out in the cold and dark and find a dead cat.

Half an hour later they pulled up outside a beautiful three storey Brownstone house in a very expensive part of town. Old money oozed from the walls and spilled down the marble steps to the ornate railings that surrounded the stunning property. Jasper had closed up his office when they got the call and had followed them in the Cherokee, but stayed just out of sight, watching out for Alec. Even though there was no evidence that Alec was in the area, he was still guarding Alice and wouldn't let her out of his sight until the problem had been resolved.

"Wow!" Bella exclaimed as they got out of the Volvo.

"Was I right, or was I right? I bet Miss Simpson is a very worthy, upstanding member of the local community; the sort of person who knows everyone's business. She's probably got more contacts than Yellow Pages."

"Okay, I concede. As you're so bloody clever, you can find the dead cat."

"I intend to, but in the meantime I want you to knock on the doors of the houses either side and find out whether anyone who lives in this street is Miss Simpson's friend."

"Why?"

"Because when I discover the rotting corpse of her cat, she's going to be very upset."

"Oh, right!"

Alice straightened her jacket before opening the front gate then walked up the steps. Miss Simpson opened the door without waiting for Alice to knock as she had been watching out for their arrival from her front window.

Alice took one look at the tall, elderly lady who was standing in her hallway and her jaw dropped onto her chest. Miss Simpson was dressed in top to toe vintage Chanel, with a string of diamonds and pearls around her neck that was probably worth more than the house she was living in. Behind her on the walls of the hall and up the staircase were framed front covers of Vogue dating from the fifties and early sixties, and Alice new immediately who this old lady was.

"Come in, Alice. Thank you for coming out so promptly."

"You're welcome, Miss Simpson. You are Annalise Simpson, aren't you?"

"Yes, my dear. How did you know? You're too young to recognise me."

"No, I'm not. I saw you modelling …" and then Alice remembered she shouldn't have been around when Annalise was the top catwalk model in America and was recognised as one of the world's first 'supermodels'.

"I meant to say I've seen lots of pictures of you modelling Chanel and Dior in the 1950's. You are one of my hero's."

"Really? Well well, I'm amazed. Do come in and when we've found Coco I'll show you some of the clothes I still have from those days."

"You mean you have vintage Chanel and Dior?"

"And Balenciaga and Balmain and many others. I have two bedrooms full of designer outfits that I wore back then. I'm a hoarder; I can't throw anything away."

"Oh my God; this is a dream come true," Alice sighed as though she was actually living her favorite fantasy.

Annalise closed the door behind her and escorted Alice into an exquisite drawing room. Alice's tongue was practically on the floor as she looked around at the beautiful furniture and decorations. She thought she had died and gone to heaven.

Much as she wanted to sit and chat to Miss Simpson all night, she got her notebook out and put on her professional face.

"Now, Miss Simpson. Does Coco, ah! Coco Chanel, normally stray far from the property?"

"No, not really. She's quite old now and can't climb fences like she used to, so she doesn't go much further than the garden. I've been outside calling her, but she hasn't come in."

"Well, I had better go and look out there to see if I can find any clues, don't you think? Do you have a flashlight?"

"Yes I do, follow me."

Alice followed Miss Simpson through the vast property to a room where a pair of elegant French Windows led onto a wide patio. She opened the doors and took the flashlight that Miss Simpson handed to her and walked out.

"You stay inside while I have a look around. It's quite cold out, so keep in the warm."

As Miss Simpson nodded in agreement, Alice heard the front doorbell ring and she guessed that was probably Bella.

As she walked down some stone steps onto the lawn she didn't need to look any further. She could smell the cat from where she was standing, so she made her way over to a patch of dense shrubs at the end of the garden and lifted the lower branches of a tall rhododendron so she could see below it. Behind the trunk, out of sight to anybody who didn't have excellent vision, was the body of a fluffy black cat curled up as though she was asleep. Alice crawled towards her and poked her with her finger, but there was no response. Luckily the cat still looked in good condition as the air temperature had been cool for the last few days and the ground was very cold, so she picked it up carefully and walked towards the patio.

As she got to the top of the steps, Miss Simpson, Bella and another elderly lady appeared at the French Windows. Miss Simpson shrieked when she saw her cat's obviously dead body and she fell into the arms of her friend and burst into tears.

"Bella, can you find something to wrap the cat in?" Alice whispered so only Bella could hear.

Bella shot off and came back a minute later with a towel and they wrapped the cat in it and laid it on the garden table.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Simpson," Bella said. "I have a cat called Molly and I'll be devastated when she dies."

"Leave Anna with me," her friend said. "I'll look after her and take care of the cat and thank you for being so understanding. Anna called about ten different agencies when we couldn't find Coco, but none would take her seriously. I'll make sure you're well rewarded."

"There's no charge at all," Alice said. "But I would like to come back and chat to Miss Simpson one day, if that's alright?"

"Miss Simpson raised her head from her friend's shoulder."

"Alice, you and your friend are welcome, anytime."

Alice and Bella made their own way out of the house, closing the front door quietly behind them. As they walked down the steps, Alice turned to Bella with a smug look on her face.

"Who's laughing now then?"

Bella groaned as they got in the car and as she started the engine, she muttered,

"Alice Whitlock, you're going to be _so_ unbearable from now on."

* * *

Night had fallen and there was no moonlight tonight to illuminate the sea, but from his watery vantage point Alec could clearly see every member of Alice's coven sitting in the conservatory. Fortunately the waves were gentle tonight so he remained crouched in the water with just the top of his head staying above the undulating surface, safe in the knowledge that his scent was being masked by the saltiness of the ocean. He had been in this spot, on and off, for the past few days, watching the comings and goings of the family, waiting for an opportunity to grab Alice when Jasper and the other young vampires were far away, but frustratingly Jasper was always nearby, not leaving her side for one minute. He had been tempted to snatch her last night when she walked down to the water's edge on her own, but Jasper and the other young male were watching her and he knew he wouldn't have been able to hold on to her and fight off two male vampires at the same time. No, he would be patient and wait for the right opportunity to present itself.

He had worked out that were three males and three females in the house, which was two more than his nomad coven who were now back to full strength after the other three had just returned from New York, satiated after feasting on Thanksgiving party pickings. Holidays were always a time of plenty for vampires, as the human population threw caution to the wind, overdosing on drugs and alcohol, so a few disappearances were considered to be natural wastage for the less responsible members of the human race. He hadn't set foot in the city for over a hundred years as he wasn't welcome there, but he had witnessed it growing from afar into the huge metropolis it was today.

He had been watching the house and its occupants for the last three days and their movements were an irregular pattern. Alice and the other young female in the house had left at about eight thirty this morning. He overheard Alice saying to Jasper that she would see him at the office, so presumably they were going to work, which was the first surprise. He didn't know of any other vampires that had a day job, but he didn't dare follow them because Jasper was close behind in his car. The other younger male would go out at varying times every morning, so today the two older vampires were on their own for the first time. He had watched them going for walks along the beach, or sitting out on the deck, and it was patently obvious to him that there was something wrong with the older female, but he didn't know what. He had never come across a sickly or disabled vampire before; he didn't think that was possible.

As he ducked under the surface and swam underwater to a spot where he could emerge from the sea without being spotted, a plan was slowly forming in his mind. He wasn't ready to put it to his coven yet; it would have to be worked out perfectly first as he would need their help. It was risky and could backfire if it wasn't planned down to the minutest detail so he was going to take his time. He was determined though, and if the plan worked out as he hoped, very soon he would be in possession of Alice Whitlock. If it didn't work, he had absolutely no doubt that he would be dead, but if that was the outcome, he would make sure that very soon after his demise, the whole of Alice's coven would pay dearly with their lives and then he would meet Alice Whitlock again in Hell.

* * *

 **How do you think he's going to do it? His coven only consists of four vampires, so it's four against five. He must have a really cunning plan up his sleeve if he believes he's got a chance.**

 **Thanks for your reviews and comments - they are really welcome.**

 **Joan xx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks again for all your comments - it has been great reading them, but especially one from Cullenoscopy, who may or may not be hacking into my computer! Read it if you want a good laugh.**

 **The family are still waiting for Alec to make the first move, but he's obviously decided to take his time because he'll only get one shot at snatching Alice from Jasper. Edward has had to go back to Masen Research to try and find out who the Mole is before he or she does any lasting damage. But the Mole is starting to get impatient, so decides to take a risk.**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT - Burglary

* * *

Edward was back at Masen Research, and when he was not harassing Ace for updates on his investigations, he divided his time between each lab, going over progress and results with the team leaders and lending a hand when necessary. This was his favorite part of the job; working alongside some of the best medical scientists in the country and contributing to the ground-breaking research that would benefit mankind. He was confident that a cure for every disease was out there waiting to be discovered, so Masen Research was really like another detective agency, as they were constantly searching for clues in nature on how to tackle these difficult puzzles. He had been in Les Mans for most of the afternoon, trying to get them back on track, but before he left to go home he visited the IT department to see whether Ace was any further on in finding out who had been hacking into Anthony's computer files.

Ace was screwing up pieces of paper and aiming them at the wastepaper bin when Edward knocked on his window and opened the door with his key.

"I pay you too much to be doing that, Alfonso Caspari."

"It helps me think, Edward Masen."

"Really? That's fine then, if it helps you discover who's infiltrating our security."

"No-one is, Edward. I told you that a hundred times already. There's been no breaches in security since I've been in this job. No-one hacked into Anthony's computer files in the weeks before he died. I've checked every possible route, every chip, every server, every everything, and there is nothing there; zilch, zero, diddly-squat, jack-shit; in other words fucking nothing. Our cyber-security has not been infiltrated; I'll put my professional reputation on the line on that statement."

Edward ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. There was no doubt that Alice had 'seen' the newspaper article that in the end was never written, as she wouldn't have known about Anthony and his research, so what was he going to do next? He wanted to trust Ace, but unless he was the one who had been prepared to sell the lab's discoveries and was therefore covering up his own deceit, Edward had reached a dead end.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, Edward. There's been no breaches from this department or from lab to lab. If the research was anyone's but Anthony's then it could have been word of mouth; in other words someone blabbing to the press about their own research. But you say it was Anthony's work that was being sold; no one else's."

"That's correct."

"Have you considered that whoever approached the newspaper might be a con-artist; out to make a quick buck?"

"That's not what happened, Ace; they knew too much about what he was working on. Look, I'm not questioning your capability because I know you're the best in the business, but we must be missing something. I don't want to sack the whole of my IT Department because of this, but I will if we don't find out what's going on."

"Okay Edward, I'll give it another shot. I know every geek in the world with an IQ over 190, so if it's okay by you, I'll throw the problem out to them."

"That's fine by me but I want this sorted, or everyone is going."

"Including me?"

Edward hesitated for a moment before responding.

"Tell me, Ace, what would you do if this was _your_ company, and years and years of research costing millions of dollars were at risk?"

"I'd sack me too."

"Right. Then we're clear on that. Keep me updated, Ace."

"Will do, Boss. By the way, how's your leg now?"

"What are you talking about? There's nothing wrong with my leg."

"You accused one of Madonna's fleas of biting you."

"Oh, right. That was weeks ago. My leg's fine, thanks. It was an insect bite though."

"Really? Was it, by chance, the same species of spider that bit Peter Parker and gave him super-human powers?"

 _If Edward still had a heart, it would have missed several beats by now._

"What do you mean by that?"

"Edward, I'm no fool. I've never seen anyone move the way you did when you said you'd been bitten. Are you trialling a new drug on yourself at the moment, because the Edward who's sitting in front of me now is not the same Edward as the one who left this place three months ago? You look different, your acne scars have gone, you're eyes keep changing color, you're walking in an odd way, you're not drinking coffee anymore; do you want me to go on? What the fuck has happened to you? If I didn't know better, I'd think the original Edward had been abducted and taken to Stepford to be turned into a robot, or to the future where they make the Terminators, and now there's a cyborg working at Masen Research in place of the old one."

Edward was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't expecting to be fronted up so frankly about his appearance and he didn't have a plausible answer ready for Ace, who was certainly 'no fool'. Alfonso Caspari had an IQ of over 200; one of the few people in the world recognised as being over this figure, so he was at a loss how to respond.

"Edward, you don't have to tell me what's going on. I just want to know that you're okay and you're not putting your life at risk. I saw Frankenstein when I was a teenager and it scared the shit out of me. Don't do anything stupid to your body; you're only given one to play with."

Edward knew he had to give Ace a response so he faked a look of resignation on his face.

"I'm okay, Ace, and thanks for your concern. You're right, I am trialling a new drug, but I can't tell you much more about it at the moment."

"Is it linked to Anthony's research?"

"Yes. My father is taking it too; it's what saved his life."

"Shit; that's amazing."

"Ace, this is ground-breaking work that has serious implications for medicine in the future. If this drug does what I think it does, I actually might never release it, as the repercussions for the pharmaceutical industry would be uncontrollable. I need to see what the long-term effects are on the human body before I take this research any further. My family and two close friends are taking it and they are the only people whom I trust not to speak about what we've discovered. This is why I haven't gone down the normal route of hiring a load of human guinea-pigs to test it; it's just six of us who are taking it at present.

"Your girlfriend's taking it too? Wow!"

"She insisted; she's a scientist too and as she's female, obviously. She can give me the heads-up on what it does to a woman's body, which is vitally important as you can imagine."

Ace nodded his head, fascinated by what Edward was telling him. He didn't really get involved with the nitty gritty of the medical research that was going on all around him. What he read when he was trawling through the data on the servers might as well have been written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics as it went straight over his head. His skill was with numbers and codes; science had never been his thing in high school, apart from Human Anatomy, which he was still very much interested in, but purely on a base level to satisfy his carnal instincts.

Edward had given Ace time to take that in then continued.

"If word got out before society was ready to control it, it could be disastrous to our industry and world economics. Now that you know, can I rely on you to keep this totally confidential?"

"You have my word, Edward."

"Thank you. Now you see why it's vital we find our mole, so contact your geek buddies today if possible and see what they come up with."

"Will do, Boss. Five of them and one of me – you'll have IQ's totalling way over a thousand working on this."

"Great. I promise you there'll be a bonus if you crack the case."

"Forget about the bonus, Edward. Just give me one shot of what you're on. I'm running the Boston Marathon next year and I'd love to beat the professionals, just once."

Edward stood up slowly and went towards the door laughing, but he was still seriously concerned that Ace had been so observant. Thankfully, he seemed to have accepted the 'drug trial' explanation without question, so hopefully he wouldn't delve further. Of all his employees, he trusted Ace the most now. He hadn't picked up a hint of dishonesty in his eyes or expressions, and when he was talking he knew somehow that Ace was genuinely concerned for his wellbeing. But who else might have noticed that he was super-human? That was the big question and main worry now.

As he went through the door, he turned back to look at Ace, then, mimicking the most famous cyborg in history, in his best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice, said to him...

"I'll be back!"

* * *

Jasper and Alice had gone off in the Cherokee to do some Christmas shopping and Carlisle had taken Esme for a long walk along the beach, so Edward and Bella were making the most of having some alone time in the house.

Edward brushed some hairs away from Bella's face and kissed her forehead.

"Are you ready for round two yet?"

"Just give me a minute, Edward. I haven't landed back on earth after round one."

"Hmmm, I'll take that as a compliment for my prowess but I'm ready when you are."

Bella giggled because she could see quite clearly that he was ready for round two but she pushed Edward onto his back then raised herself up on one elbow and ran her fingers through the soft hairs on his chest.

"How much of this unbelievable stamina is from the original Edward, or is it just the 'new-improved vampire' Edward. Be honest now, could you go again straight away when you were human or did you need recovery time."

"It depended on who I was with, but honestly and truthfully, Bella, during the ten years we were apart, no-one came close to turning me on like you did on prom night. I was constantly searching for another Holy Grail on the east coast, even though I knew the original and best was probably still living in the west."

"Why didn't you come looking for me then?"

"I didn't know whether you'd want to see me again and I didn't think I'd be able to cope with rejection. To be truthful I was too frightened to seek you out."

Bella laid her head on Edward's chest as he wound his fingers through her hair that was falling loose around her shoulders.

"I never stopped thinking about you too, Edward, even when I was engaged to Jacob. I can't believe I almost married him when it was you I was thinking about when I was with him. Anyway, you didn't answer my question; did you need recovery time when you were human."

"Of course I did, because I always put 100% effort into round one, whoever I was with!"

Bella laughed and kissed him on the lips.

"Do you feel sorry for the human population because they can't experience what we experience?"

"Do you mean when we exchange venom?"

"Yes, it's such an amazing experience, especially when you come back down to earth. Does your brain feel as though it's been scrubbed and cleaned with bleach?"

"Something like that. Everything is so clear and refreshed afterwards, like you're lying in a stream of sparkling water and everything around you is pristine; the colours are brighter, sounds are sweeter; it's like all the dust and cobwebs in your body have been vacuumed out and every brain cell is brand new."

"That's what it feels like to me. Would you believe I'm feeling a bit dusty and cobwebby at the moment, Edward; just saying."

"Me too, Bella. So is it fuck first, or just the venom?"

"Definitely fuck first, if you're sure you're ready that is."

"Oh, I'm ready Bella Swan."

Edward pulled Bella on top of him and raised her up with his strong arms then pushed her straight down on to his erect cock, then held her tightly as he pounded into her from below. Bella writhed and squirmed on top of him as his cock was pressing on the magic spot inside her and she came almost straight away. Edward pulled her over him and bit into her breasts, leaving matching crescents all over her torso, then rolled her over so she was on her back without breaking intimate contact.

Bella could see venom glistening on his teeth and she could taste her own venom that was pooling in her mouth, so venom was definitely going to be exchanged very soon. As Edward's thrusts became more and more powerful, almost to the point of being violent, she crushed his hips between her thighs and dug her sharp fingernails into his back, running deep scratches from his shoulder blades down to his waist. Edward snarled in satisfaction and his eyes blazed in anticipation of what was to come.

He drove himself even deeper into her, pushing her body further up the bed with each thrust until her head collided with the headboard. As Edward came, he reared up over her and cried out as he exploded inside her, then he sunk his teeth into her neck, snarling as his venom left his body. As soon as he released the bite, Bella wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her hands in his hair as she pushed his head roughly to one side, then bit into his neck hard as she clung onto his body like a limpet.

When the venom started the fire inside their bodies, their lips met in a passionate and frantic kiss as their tongues searched for the last remnants of each other's venom. As the heat lessened and their brains were bombarded by every color of the rainbow, the feeling of euphoria, coupled by extraordinary clarity, washed over them and they both felt as though they were being re-born.

They remained intimately joined until the last vestiges of their extraordinary coupling melted into nothing, then Edward pulled out of her but still held Bella in his arms as he knew she would be feeling weak and vulnerable, as he was. As he lay there, waiting for vampire strength to return to his exhausted body, he felt almost human again, like the clock had been turned back and he was in her bed in her small apartment in Seattle and the ghost of Jacob was still present in the room, glowering over him after he had made love to his fiancée.

As he looked down at Bella, who was looking up at him with pure love in her eyes, he was fully aware how extraordinarily lucky he was to have this life, but he also knew, deep in his superfluous heart, that if he had the opportunity to be a mortal human being again and live a normal life with Bella, he would grab that opportunity with both hands.

* * *

About an hour later, Bella heard movement in the house so she rolled off the bed and walked into the shower, feeling sad that their alone-time had come to an end. After a couple of minutes on her own, Edward joined her in the small cubicle and they laughed and giggled as they washed each other, especially when they cleaned each other's 'naughty bits'.

They got dressed and wandered downstairs but no-one was in the house or out on the deck.

"That's strange," Bella said. I'm sure I heard someone moving around while we were in bed."

"There's no-one here except for Molly. You must have been imagining it."

"Maybe," she replied, but Bella was positive she had heard a door opening and closing and someone walking through Carlisle's study that was directly below them.

"Do you want to go for a walk along the beach?" Edward suggested.

Bella nodded her head in agreement. "That would be lovely; it's such a beautiful evening."

The sun was just going down behind the house and the temperature had started to drop, but that didn't bother them as they didn't feel the cold. As they walked bare foot across the sand towards the sea, the wind picked up and blew Bella's damp hair out behind her.

"You're so beautiful," Edward whispered as he brushed strands of hair from her face, then he gripped a handful as he pulled her towards him, raining kisses on her mouth and face, then he flung his arms around her and held her tightly.

"I love you so much, Bella, it hurts me inside. I can't imagine my life without you; you'll never leave me, will you?"

"No, Edward; I'm yours for eternity, you know that."

Edward nodded his head but still clung on to her. His conversation with Jasper had unnerved him and he was terrified that Bella would one day say she was unhappy and go to the Volturi to end it. He would watch for signs and make a special effort if he suspected she was questioning her life or becoming depressed because of what she was missing through not being human any more. At the moment she seemed fairly content with him, but it was still early days, and he knew she was still unhappy about not being able to see her family and friends. He didn't want her to know what he was worrying about so he kissed her on her forehead and smiled at her reassuringly.

"Are you okay, Edward? You've never doubted my love for you before."

"I'm fine; I suppose it's the afterglow as Jasper describes it. It's such an amazing high and everything feels so pure and new that it's like I'm starting a new life and I need reassurance. Do you feel like that?"

"Sort of, but not so intense. Maybe my venom is different from yours."

Bella made a sort of chuckling noise and Edward put his finger under her chin and raised it up to his face.

"What are you thinking about to give you that silly expression?"

"I can't say it."

"Why not?"

"It's too personal."

"Come on, Bella. No secrets, what is it?"

"You promise you won't be cross."

"I promise."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Just get on with it."

"It's your mom and dad."

"What about them?"

"Do you think they've, you know, done it since they've been changed?"

"What! Oh God no, that's too gross. What made you think of that?"

"I was just wondering whether your dad's venom might make your mom's condition improve. Both of us experience a mind-blowing feeling in our brains, like they've been washed clean. I was just wondering whether this might help with her recovery."

Edward let go of Bella and thought about what she had just suggested.

"You're not cross with me, are you, Edward?"

Edward shook his head. "No, not at all. You might be on to something there."

"So do you think your dad might 'give it a go'?"

"Bella, I don't think my mother is ready for that sort of thing yet, if ever, but we could try injecting some venom into her to see if it makes any difference."

Just then, they heard voices calling their names. They looked along the beach and saw Carlisle and Esme walking towards them, arm in arm. Edward almost choked, as it was a sight he thought he would never see again – his mother and father walking together like a regular couple, enjoying each other's company.

Bella leaned towards Edward and whispered in his ear.

"Are you going to suggest it then, or shall I?"

"I think it would be better if it came from me, Bella. I am a doctor, remember?"

* * *

About an hour after they went back to the house, they heard the roar of the Cherokee as it came down the track and they could tell by the speed it was travelling that Alice was behind the wheel, then the screech of brakes as she parked it in the drive.

"I bet that girl gets through a pair of tires every month," Carlisle remarked with a smirk.

Esme's eyebrows went up to heaven because even she got the joke.

They heard them coming through the door, laughing and giggling, then all of a sudden the laughing stopped.

Jasper came through to the conservatory where they were all sitting, his eyes flashing from side to side.

"Who's been here?"

"What do you mean," Edward asked.

"A human's been in here; I can smell him."

"I told you," Bella said as she jumped out of her chair. "When Edward and I were upstairs this afternoon I heard a noise downstairs but we had the door shut. We presumed one of you had come home, but when we came down there was no-one here."

"Look to see if anything has been taken," Carlisle said as he got up and went into the study.

Everyone except for Esme scattered to the four corners of the house and after a few minutes they came back to the conservatory, apart from Carlisle who was still in the study.

"Nothing taken as far as I can tell," Bella confirmed as she plumped herself down in her chair again. No-one else had noticed anything missing either.

As they all sat down in different parts of the room, Carlisle walked in scratching his head.

"I think someone's been through my desk and some of Anthony's files, and my computer had been turned off without going through the normal shut-down process. Jasper, can you come into the study and see what you think."

Jasper got up and followed Carlisle and as he walked over to the desk he stopped.

"He's definitely been in here and I'm 99% sure it's a he, not a she. Carlisle, do you mind if I go through your computer's history."

"Go ahead. The last document I looked at was a quote from the Marina for some repairs that need doing to the old boat before I sell it.

Jasper sat at the desk and brought the document history up as the family crowded round. There was Carlisle's quote from the Marina where their yacht was docked, but above it about twenty documents had been opened, all pertaining to Anthony's work at the lab.

"Fuck!" Edward exclaimed. Carlisle gave him a hard stare.

"Sorry dad," Edward muttered and Bella grinned.

Jasper moved out of the chair and Edward sat down in his place. He clicked the top document open which contained old notes relating to the research that was taking place in Les Mans.

"These notes shouldn't be on this computer," Edward hissed. "Anthony's broken all his own rules about not taking anything away from the lab."

"This computer isn't connected to the lab in any way, is it, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

"No, Anthony must have downloaded these lab documents onto a memory stick and transferred them onto this computer. What an idiot."

Edward opened all the documents and quickly read what they revealed. Fortunately none of them had any information about the composition of the treatments they were creating; they were just progress reports. However they did state what their aim was, so whoever opened these files would know that they were working on ways to cure rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, dementia and specific cancers.

Jasper looked at the list of documents and noted the time lapse between each download, which was a matter of seconds in most cases.

"This guy was looking for something in particular, Edward. If the document didn't contain what he'd come for, then he dumped it and went on to the next one."

"Or downloaded it onto a memory stick."

"Possibly, but I'm not convinced."

"I think you and I can guess who this is."

"Whoever was going to sell Anthony's research to the newspaper. He's not giving up, is he?"

"Do you think you would recognise his scent again."

"Without a doubt, Edward."

Edward deleted the files one by one then stood up from the desk.

"Jasper, my well-trained sniffer-dog, I think it's about time you met all my employees, so how does spending a morning at Masen Research sound to you?"

"Sounds absolutely fine and it will be my pleasure, Doctor Masen. Would tomorrow be convenient?"

"The sooner the better, Rover!"

* * *

The watcher paced up and down in his office, frustrated that nothing of value had been in Anthony's study at the beach house. It had been a huge risk breaking in, even though it had been easy as the main door to the house wasn't locked. The only crimes he had committed to date were anonymous ones, where he had used his superior brain to substantially boost his bank balance. Infiltrating Masen Research was just industrial espionage, and if he was clever enough, he would never be found out. But burglary was a whole new ball game and he had been shitting himself when he was in there. He would have stayed longer to search all the desk drawers, but he heard movement upstairs, which shocked him as he thought the house was empty. He'd seen the old couple go out for a walk and presumed the other four had gone out in the Cherokee because the house was deathly quiet when he walked in, but as soon as he heard a noise upstairs he crept away before he was discovered.

His other frustration was that Edward had been working in practically every lab other than Anthony's since his return from leave, so he hadn't as yet picked up Anthony's research where he left off. The only information he was getting at the moment was what he was gleaning from Ben's computer, which helpfully contained details of every line of research in each individual lab. The information he had already amassed would be worth a fortune to one of Masen Research's competitors, but he was prepared to hold out for the big prize for a bit longer, but not forever.

He would give Edward until Christmas to resume the search for an anti-ageing drug. If that didn't happen, he would take his computer files to the police on the first day of the New Year then stand back and watch as the shit hit the fan. He was sorry that Anthony had been cremated; he would have enjoyed the family having the trauma of his body being dug up and examined for evidence of foul play, but there was enough evidence of murder on one of his laptops to convict Edward and Carlisle and the other strange couple who were with them, and of course the Seattle whore.

His wallet had fallen open on his desk and the frayed picture of the person he was doing this for stared up at him. He knew there was no chance for him to turn back the clock, but he wanted to see the family who had destroyed his future ruined, but Edward Masen most of all.

* * *

 **The mole is a 'he' then. Sorry to anyone who thought it might be Annabel getting her own back for being dumped.**

 **I think it's becoming obvious now how he is spying on Masen Research, but when is Edward going to realise what's going on.**

 **What has Edward done to this guy, and to whoever's photograph is in his wallet, to make him so bitter and angry? Of course this guy hasn't reckoned on Jasper being able to sniff him out, so if he works in the labs or he's been in there lately, he might get found out before he has a chance to go to the police. Let's wait and see.**

 **Joan xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**So we know the mole is a guy and he's got a massive grudge against Edward. But Jasper is literally on his trail now, sniffer dog style!**

 **Life starts to get interesting for our trainee detectives at last, but maybe what they agree to take on next is not such a good idea if they are trying to keep a low profile in the community.**

* * *

CHAPTER NINE - Drugs!

* * *

Edward parked in his usual spot by the lab's main door and got out of the car slowly, just in case anyone was watching him from the parking lot or on CCTV. Jasper pulled up beside him in the Cherokee and after he got out he pretended to stretch. He was much more adept at acting human and had every nuance of being a normal person down to a fine art. They had taken two cars as Jasper was heading to his office in town straight after doing some detective work for Edward.

Today was the first time Jasper had risked leaving Alice's side since Alec had appeared on the scene. The girls had stayed behind at the house with Carlisle and Esme and had arranged to meet Jasper at the agency a couple of hours later. He still insisted on being on the premises when they were at CSI as he considered they were more vulnerable there than at the house, and as they could pick up calls and e-mails to CSI at home, they weren't worried about missing any business opportunities by not being in the office.

Edward swiped his card on the security panel and as they walked through the heavy glass doors they were stopped by a member of the security staff who looked Jasper up and down as though he was about to rob the place.

"Can you vouch for this gentleman, Doctor Masen?"

"Yes, Dan, he's with me. I'll be escorting him around the labs today. I'll introduce him to Jane if she's already arrived and fix him up with a security pass. Well done for being on the ball, especially at this time of the morning."

"Thank you, Doctor Masen; have a nice day."

It was just after 7 am; Jane hadn't arrived yet so Edward signed Jasper in and gave him a security badge to wear so he wasn't challenged again.

"Okay, Edward. Where to first?"

"Let's start on the top floor and have a quick walk around those labs and then work our way down. We can do Anthony's and Ben's lab last. Then I'll take you down to the IT Department and introduce you to Ace. He doesn't normally get in until about eight."

Jasper followed Edward to the elevator which took them up two levels. The top floor was eerily quiet as staff weren't due in for about another hour. They went methodically through every lab and meeting room without interruption and without having to answer awkward questions about why a strange man was sniffing the air. As Jasper went through each door, he stopped to take in the general smell of the whole room, just in case the intruder was an infrequent visitor rather than a permanent resident, then he went from bench to bench and chair to chair to see if he could pick up the intruder's scent but no trace was found in any rooms on that floor or the floor below.

"Anything yet?" Edward asked, slightly impatiently when they got back to the reception desk, which was the point where they started."

"Nothing definite, but there is a hint of the scent at the top of the corridor leading to Ben and Anthony's labs and the rooms nearest to the lake. Let's go there now and wander up and down a bit before the staff arrive."

Jasper walked slowly down the corridor, stopping every five steps or so, until he was passing the door of Ben's lab where he stopped completely.

"The smell is strongest here, but still very faint, as though whoever the intruder is was here some time ago. Whose lab is this?"

"Ben Wolfe's and his team."

"Is he here yet?"

"No, you would hear him kicking the coffee machine by now. He should be arriving anytime soon."

"Can I meet Ben later on?"

"Sure, but I would be very surprised if it was him. We went to Yale together."

"Don't discount anyone, Edward. Nobody should be above suspicion. Some of the most dishonest people in the country went to Ivy League universities; they're called bankers and politicians. Ben may be being blackmailed; you just don't know."

Edward was chuckling at Jasper's comments as he opened the door to Anthony's lab and let Jasper through first, then hung back as Jasper walked slowly across to the spot where he broke Anthony's neck and then over to the doors out to the lake.

"He's definitely been in here, but not recently. Who else has had access to this room?"

"Nobody; only Anthony and I had keys that would open this door."

"Okay. I presume you've got both sets of keys?"

There was dead silence for a moment then Edward let out an anguished cry.

"Oh Fuuuuck! They were probably in his pocket that night. I totally forgot about retrieving them after he died or even the following morning when we identified the body.

"So someone else has had a key to this lab and also a master key that opens every room in the building for the last, what, three months nearly. Is that what you're saying?"

Edward sat down on Anthony's stool, almost as though his knees had given way, as the implications of what he had omitted to do that night hit home. Anybody could have seen Anthony's body the following morning and taken his keys from him. It could have been Ben or Ace, or a security guard, or the doctor who pronounced him dead, or the guy who mowed the lawn. The undeniable fact was that from the day Anthony's body was discovered, someone had been able to access the whole of the site and to possibly spy on the work that was going on in each laboratory, and that knowledge appalled him.

Edward leaned across Anthony's desk and picked up the internal telephone and pressed the top right-hand button which was a direct line to Jane. She picked the call up immediately.

"Is that you, Doctor Masen?"

"Yes, Jane. I'm in Professor Masen's lab as you've probably gathered. We've got a major security problem. I want every lock in the building changed today; internal as well as external doors, and I want the swipe card system upgraded so that identification cards are used to go in and out of every room in the building from now on. I don't care how much it costs, but I want this done immediately; do you understand?"

"Yes, Doctor Masen. I'll get right on it."

Edward slammed the phone down and grabbed fistfuls of his hair.

"Damn, damn, damn my own stupidity. What was I thinking?"

"You were thinking, quite rightly, of protecting your family that night. A bunch of keys and the security of this place was the last thing on your mind. You were still human then, remember?"

"I suppose so, but I've really fucked up."

"I doubt it. We're only looking for one scumbag. I'm sure the rest of your employees are totally trustworthy and I can't smell him anywhere else in the building, so I think you can relax."

Edward eventually nodded in agreement, but he was still angry with himself.

"Okay, the damage has been done. I'd better tell Ace and Ben what's happened. Do you want to meet up with Ben now?"

"Yes, lead the way. I've got my heat pack ready for a handshake."

Jasper followed Edward out of the lab and stood while Edward locked the door behind him. Ben's lab was the one next to Anthony's and Jasper could see him through the glass wall standing by the coffee machine. Edward tapped on the window then unlocked the door.

"Morning, Ben. Can I introduce you to my friend, Jasper Whitlock. He's just moved to Connecticut from Seattle. His company has been looking after my family's personal finances for years."

Ben leaned towards Jasper and shook his warm hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Jasper. Has Edward given you the guided tour this morning?"

"Yes, it's been very interesting."

"Coffee?" Ben offered, but Edward and Jasper declined.

"Ben, I've only just realised that Anthony's lab key and master key have gone missing. I'm getting all the locks changed today as a precaution. I don't suppose you've any idea where his keys have gone?"

"Not a clue. I presumed you'd taken possession of them when the police and the coroner allowed you back in the lab."

"No, I didn't. Do you know who discovered Anthony's body?"

"It was one of the security staff who was doing his morning walk around the perimeter. I'll get him for you if you like?"

"There's no need. If he took the keys he's not going to own up to it now. You were here that morning, weren't you?"

"Yes, I saw Anthony's body, but as far as I can remember, no-one touched it until the police and the coroner's office people got here."

"Who else saw it?"

"Ace, a couple of my technicians who were in early and a guy who was replenishing my coffee machine. He saw it before me as he caught sight of Anthony's body hanging out the door through this window. I called security but they had just been informed by the guard and were already on the phone to the emergency services. I had to go out the fire exit to get access to Anthony's lab and open the door from the inside as no-one had a key to get in from the corridor."

"So no-one else saw Anthony's body?"

"Not that I know of.

"Alright. Could you get me a list of staff that were on duty overnight. There should be a swipe card record from the main door on the security system. In the meantime tell everyone to hand their keys and swipe cards in as they leave this evening; I'm having a complete overhaul of the door entry systems."

"Shouldn't Ace be doing that sort of job? He's in charge of security."

A look of irritation flashed over Edward's face for a brief moment, but he couldn't disguise it in his voice.

"Ace is doing something else for me at the moment. Don't question my instructions, Ben. I'm not in the mood for any shit today, do you understand?"

Ben didn't answer, but Jasper noticed his eyes narrowing slightly as Edward laid into him. Jasper sensed that Edward had never had to do the 'me boss, you employee' speech before, but Edward was the boss, and right now he was pulling rank.

"I'll leave you to get on with that, Ben. I'll be with Ace if there are any problems."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ben," Jasper muttered as he followed Edward out the door.

"Bloody hell, Edward. You were a bit harsh in there."

"Fuck him," Edward responded angrily. "Sometimes he forgets his place and that we're back in Yale; asshole."

"Why do you employ him?"

"Because he's a fucking clever asshole. Anyway, is Ben our intruder?"

"No, he isn't, but the intruder has been in his lab very recently, I'm sure of it. Occasionally I got a strong whiff of him, but unless I get a chance to go through Ben's lab with a fine toothed comb, I won't be able to discover any more about him."

"I'll make sure you get back in there, Jasper. If Ben is the one who's been ripping me off, or knows who's doing it, I'll rip his fucking throat out in return. Next stop Alfonso Caspari; he's the one who thinks I'm a human guinea pig remember."

* * *

Alice came in from the deck where she had taken a call that had just come in on CSI's number.

"That was an interesting conversation, Bella."

"Lucky you; I seem to get all the boring ones. Spill the beans then."

"It was a lady from a high school PTA. They've got drug dealers hanging around the school gates, but every time they call the police and they eventually turn up, they've packed up and gone."

"Do you think the dealers are being tipped off?"

"More than likely."

"What are the school doing about it?"

"Absolutely nothing; they're in denial there's a drug problem. The publicity wouldn't be good for their image in the community, apparently."

"That's crazy. The Principal needs a kick up the butt."

"Exactly."

"Have the PTA tried taking photographs of the dealers? That would be enough evidence to give to the Principal or the police."

"Yes, but they wear hoodies and shades, so it's impossible to see their faces."

"So the PTA want us to try and find out who they are and put a stop to it?"

"Yes, what do you think?"

"It's worth a try. We could follow them and see where they live."

"We could do, but it would be so much better if we could find out who's supplying the dealers."

"How do you propose doing that?"

"Oooh, well, I might have a few tricks up my sleeve. Anyway it's a lot more exciting than dealing with idiots like Clem Baker and the other boring marital cases like that on our books."

"Agreed. Shall we go there this afternoon and take a look.

"Yep. I'll check with Jasper that he's okay to follow us, and we can all head on down there when the kids come out. Take the camera just in case."

"This is our first proper stake-out, Alice. Very exciting," Bella said as she hauled the camera bag onto her lap so she could familiarize herself with the lenses again.

"We're just going to watch what's going on today. No heroics for the moment."

"Okay, boss. That's fine by me."

* * *

Edward banged on the window of the IT Department and let himself and Jasper in through the door.

"Ace, this is my friend, Jasper."

"Holy fuck; are you the friend who's doing the drug trial too?"

Edward groaned. He was sorely tempted to call the Pentagon himself and tell them that actually the United States security services really needed this guy.

"How did you know?"

"It's the eyes, Edward. Jasper's are the same color as yours. You must be swallowing some pretty serious shit for it to have that sort of side-effect."

Edward groaned again. Nothing was getting past Ace, so there was no point in denying it. Ace was thoroughly enjoying his boss's discomfiture though and kept going.

"Have you ever read _The Midwich Cuckoos_ , Edward? Those dudes had golden eyes and they wanted to rule the world."

"Yes, I have read it. I recall they all get blown up at the end. I can assure you, Ace, Jasper and I are not trying to create a master-race."

"Alright, I'm not saying any more. Nice to meet you, Jasper. You're not entering the Boston Marathon by any chance, are you?"

"No. Running's not my thing."

"Thank Christ for that. Anyway, I suppose you want an update, my supreme bionic master?"

"Give it a rest, Ace, and yes, I need an update. Anything you tell me you can say in front of Jasper. He's helping me track down the mole."

"I guessed that or you wouldn't have brought him in here. Hey, Jasper, I've seen you somewhere before."

Jasper's eyes widened as his mind tried to compute if he'd met Ace previously.

"Sorry, you've got me. I can't recall ever meeting you."

"We haven't met. You came here before, with Edward, on the night Anthony died. The CCTV on the main door picked you up. There were two girls with you."

"Err, that's right. One was my wife, Alice, the other was Edward's girlfriend. Edward wanted to introduce me to Anthony as I'd just taken over the financial business from my father and I needed him to sign some papers. Anthony was refusing to leave the lab at the time because he was in the middle of his research so we came to the lab. Lucky we did, as he died that evening."

"Yes, that was very fortunate; not Anthony dying I mean, I meant you getting to meet him."

Edward was by now almost ready to let Ace know they were vampires, as he would surely guess by this time next week, but as he was mulling over that scenario Ace got back on task.

"Right, let's get down to business. I've thrown the puzzle open to my fellow geeks and they've come up with the same conclusion. They've trawled our systems and can find no hostile intrusion. Whoever got the information to sell on to a newspaper didn't get it by hacking into our IT systems. I've also had the company in again who regularly sweeps the building for bugs and it's clear. I'm completely stumped. So, Edward, if you're not happy with that, I'll get a box, pack my shit and leave."

Edward audibly sighed as he had already resigned himself to this fact, but frankly he was relieved that Ace had come to the conclusion that their systems hadn't been infiltrated. Masen Research would be a lesser place without the indomitable Alfonso Caspari.

"That won't be necessary now. I think we're just looking at a case of old-fashioned burglary, not 21st century hacking. I've only discovered this morning that Anthony's lab key and master key have gone missing, but that's not the complete story. Someone must have had access to Anthony's work before he died and the keys were lost, but I haven't worked out who or how."

Ace's eyes widened when Edward mentioned Anthony's keys and a look of embarrassment crossed his face.

"Christ, I'm sorry, Edward. I'm a shit security expert if I didn't check where Anthony's keys were. I just presumed you had them."

"So did Ben. Don't apologise, Ace. I was the one who forgot to look for them. I think we were all overwhelmed when it all happened. By the way, Jane is coordinating getting all the locks and swipe cards changed. I didn't want you to be distracted from what you were doing.

"Thanks Edward, I'll get back on it as I'm still as puzzled as you are. But I've figured out what you guys probably do need right now?"

Edward rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.

"Enlighten me, Ace."

"Someone like Miss Marple, or Columbo, or, better still, Sherlock Holmes."

"Thanks for that. For someone with an IQ that's off the scale, that's really not helpful at this moment."

"Possibly not, but I think it's fucking hilarious."

Edward and Jasper left Ace still laughing at his expense, but this time Edward didn't bother locking the door as the maintenance company would be in soon.

"Can you trust him?" Jasper asked, as he looked back through the window and saw Ace throwing balls of paper up in the air then attempting to aim them towards the waste bin with his head.

"Yes, I think I can. I honestly can't think of a motive for him to want to screw me or Anthony over."

"Not even blackmail?"

"Ace is bi-sexual; he'll screw anything with a pulse and he doesn't care who knows it. His family have Mafia connections and half of them are in prison. He told me all this when he came to work for Anthony and me. If someone threatened to blackmail him, he'd laugh in their faces and tell them to go ahead with whatever they were threatening him with. Ace doesn't give a fuck about anything, including money."

"So you trust him."

"Ninety nine point nine percent."

"Aaah! Not completely then?"

Edward didn't reply; he knew Jasper understood that he didn't completely trust anybody who wasn't family.

"Right, next stop Jane. I want to know what she's doing about the locks."

"Jane was Anthony's right hand girl for years, wasn't she?"

"Yes. We always thought Jane had a soft spot for Anthony, but she was flogging a dead horse in that respect."

"Wasn't Anthony interested in her then?"

"Anthony was gay. He was celibate all the years I knew him and I'd guess he was still a virgin when he died. Dad told me years ago that women or sex 'weren't his thing'. Jane's a really nice lady, but in her case the term 'Plain Jane' fits her to a tee."

As they walked towards the administration offices Jasper could see a lady, who was obviously Jane, talking on the phone. She was about forty-five with light brown, shoulder length hair and only a trace of make-up on her face, but behind her glasses Jasper spotted a pair of bright blue eyes that lit up when she saw Edward approaching and Jasper warmed to her immediately. As they got closer they could hear how the conversation was going.

"No, today. Doctor Masen needs the work doing today. Not tomorrow, or next week, to-day. If you can't get it sorted I'll go elsewhere."

Jane listened to the reply and Edward smiled as Jane's eyes went up to the ceiling as she held the phone away from her ear.

"I'm sorry you have problems, but so have I. Are you able to come today? Thank you. I'll see you in an hour."

Jane put the phone down with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"One company will be here this morning to start changing the locks; another company will be fitting new swipe cards units on every door. They'll stay here all night until it's done."

"Thank you, Jane. I'm sorry I've put you to all this trouble as it's my fault."

"How so, Doctor Masen?"

"Anthony's keys have gone astray. We're presuming someone took them from his pocket or his lab when he died. I should have been more careful."

Jane bent down and opened a locked drawer at the bottom of her desk.

"Are these the keys?"

Edward grabbed hold of the small bunch of keys and examined them. They were definitely Anthony's, as there was a small model of a vintage Porsche attached to the fob.

"Where did you find these?"

"They were left on my desk the day after Professor Masen died. I had no idea who put them there but I presumed it was you and you wanted me to look after them."

Edward went to put the keys in his pocket but then he handed them back to Jane as she would need them to give to the lock company. "It wasn't me, Jane, but thank you for looking after them."

"You're welcome Doctor Masen. Would you like me to cancel the contractors now?"

"No, let them come as someone could have copied them. I was going to upgrade security anyway."

"Very good, Doctor Masen. Before you go, I have some invoices that need authorising. Would you mind putting your signature on them for me?"

"Of course, I'll do them now."

Jane leant over the desk and handed Edward about half a dozen invoices. As she withdrew her left hand, Edward noticed a glint of light. On her third finger was an eye-popping engagement ring and Edward's jaw dropped slightly when he saw the size of the diamond.

"Jane, are congratulations in order? There's a beautiful ring on your finger that wasn't there before I went on leave, was it?"

Jane blushed and let out a girlish giggle.

"Would you believe it? I met John on the internet only a few months ago and he's fallen hook, line and sinker for me. He's very wealthy as well; this is from Tiffany's."

"It's lovely, Jane. That was quick work on your part. Are you sure you know him well enough after such a short time?"

"At my time of life you don't have the luxury of having years to get to know someone; you just have to take a chance. I'm having fun, Doctor Masen. It's not easy being on your own you know."

"Well, good luck to you, Jane. I hope you and John will be very happy. I hope I get an invitation to the wedding. Oh, by the way, please call me Edward from now on."

Jane giggled again and then turned back to the pile of papers in front of her.

Edward and Jasper walked out the building without saying anything and made their way towards their cars. Edward was going home to keep Carlisle and Esme company then Alice and Bella would set off for the agency and meet Jasper there.

Edward looked at Jasper and knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I think we've found something to keep our girls occupied for a while. Lover-boy John has just become our number one suspect, don't you agree?"

Jasper grinned before replying.

"Ace was right after all. What we needed all along was some good, old fashioned detective work. Will you tell Cagney and Lacey, or shall I?"

"I'll talk to them tonight, Jasper. I want to think things over first, so you go off to work and I'll see you back at the house." Edward slid into the Porsche and started the engine.

"Cagney and Lacey," Edward chuckled as he roared off on his way back to the beach house.

* * *

"There they are."

"Where?"

"By that black SUV. There's two of them."

"Yep, I can see them. What do you think we should do?"

"Cause _them_ a bit of pain and anguish, watch."

"Hang on a sec, Alice. You said, 'no heroics'."

"I know, but I just can't help it. I just want to teach these two assholes a lesson. See you on the road where Jasper's parked in about five minutes. Okay?"

Bella rolled her eyes towards heaven and then ducked down in her seat so the top of head was just visible for anyone who was watching. She'd had a feeling as they were driving to the school that Alice wouldn't be able to resist doing something as she hated anything to do with drug abuse with a vengeance; possibly because she was controlled by a chemical cosh when she was a mental patient over a hundred years ago and knew what drugs could do to a young brain.

"Good luck," she whispered, knowing that there was absolutely no point in trying to stop her. Alice grinned back at her as she opened the door.

Alice exited the Volvo, closing the car door as quietly as possible, then walked towards the two dealers who were dressed in black running pants, black hoodies and brightly colored trainers. Both had sunglasses on and she could see from their skin tone that one was dark-skinned and the other white. Both had rings on their fingers and the white one had tattoos on his forearms and across the back of his neck. They were both carrying identical backpacks slung across their shoulders where Alice presumed their drugs were stashed.

Alice was stealthily approaching them from behind and as the dealers' eyes were fixed on the school gate, they were totally oblivious that someone was creeping up on them. In the blink of an eye, Alice sprang forward so she was right behind them. Using her super-human strength she ripped the backpacks from their shoulders and disappeared around the corner into the next street, leaving the dealers falling backwards into thin air then crashing to the ground.

Bella's mouth dropped open as she watched the dealers stagger to their feet then run frantically in each direction looking for the culprit. When they realised they'd been ripped off, literally, they laid in to each other. From where Bella was sitting in the Volvo, she didn't need vampire powers to hear what they were yelling.

 _"_ _What the fuck happened there?"_

 _"_ _How the fuck do I know?"_

 _"_ _Why weren't you watching?"_

 _"_ _Why weren't_ _ **you**_ _watching, asshole?"_

 _"_ _What the fuck are we going to tell Louis? There's over five thousand dollars-worth of shit in those bags. There's no way he's going to believe us when we tell him what's happened."_

 _"_ _We're in big big trouble now. What the fuck are we going to do? Louis is going to nail our balls to the wall for this."_

Bella didn't bother to listen to the rest of the conversation. She just fired up the Volvo and drove slowly past the dealers who were practically crying by now. She turned the car into the street that Alice had disappeared into and saw the Cherokee on the opposite side of the road. She could see Jasper shaking his head, probably in despair over the antics of his wife, then he started the car and did a u-turn in the road to follow the girls home. After travelling slowly for about a quarter of a mile, Bella saw Alice by the side of the road and pulled over.

"Like taking candy from a baby," Alice said gleefully as she waved at Jasper then got in the car and burst out laughing.

"I noticed, but those babies are going to get their asses severely kicked tonight by someone called Louis."

"Well, those babies shouldn't have been selling drugs to kids and playing with the big boys then. Let's go home, Bella."

"Not until we've disposed of five k's worth of drugs, Alice. Any idea where we can get rid of it?"

"I think the sea would be the best place for it, don't you? Let's give some fish a rocking evening."

* * *

 **What do you think of Alice attacking the drug dealers; was this a bit foolhardy, as this is bound to upset whoever is behind the guys who are at the top of the chain?**

 **And poor Jane, is she being taken for a ride by an unscrupulous new lover? It looks like it.**

 **Joan xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**So Jane's 'boyfriend' is a suspect now and CSI have another job on their hands, as well as turning over the local drug dealers, vigilante-style.**

 **Edward has to man up and talk to his father about the benefits of 'venom', so that might be an interesting (or embarrassing) (or funny) father/son discussion.**

* * *

CHAPTER TEN - Sting!

* * *

"Let's get this straight, you want us to find out whether John is an honourable John, or a devious John with corporate espionage on his mind?"

Edward nodded in agreement. "Do you think you can do that without Jane finding out? I don't want to upset her unnecessarily."

Alice recreated the pose of Rodin's famous sculpture, The Thinker.

"I think we possibly can. We can follow Jane for a while, find out where lover-boy lives and whether he is spying for Pfizer, or has connections with Glaxo, or is the genuine article. Do you know anything about him?"

"Only that she found him, or he found her, on an internet dating site."

"We'll do our best, Edward, but do you honestly think she would be that naive? Jane worked for Anthony for fifteen years you say, and she's obviously an intelligent woman. Surely she'd smell a rat if John started asking her about her job and anything specific about the labs."

"I truly hope so, Cagney, but love can make you blind."

"Stop calling me Cagney."

"Sorry, Alice. You can blame Jasper for that; he was the first to call you two Cagney and Lacey."

"Why am I Cagney then? Lacey was the glamorous one!"

Edward was laughing as he handed Alice a slim brown envelope.

"This is Jane's file. It's got details of her home address, next of kin, that sort of thing. I hope this will help you get started. This is urgent, Alice. I need to find out who was behind the leak as soon as possible."

"Edward, the vision I had of the original newspaper article said it was someone from the lab's IT department; Jane is administration, not IT."

"That might have been a red herring to throw us off the scent. As far as I'm concerned, everyone is under suspicion until we work out who it is."

"Okay, Lieutenant Samuels, we'll get right on it. Bella and I will stake out Jane's house tomorrow morning before she goes to work, just in case she's had a night of middle-aged passion with Lover-Boy John."

Edward let out a cry of disgust.

"Alice! Why did you have to say that? The words 'Jane' and 'Sex' should never be used in the same sentence. She's been like a second mother to me for years. Ugh!"

"You don't stop having sex when you hit forty, Edward. God, you're such an ageist."

"I'm not; it's just too awful to contemplate. Anyway, who the hell is Lieutenant Samuels?"

"Cagney and Lacey's boss, who else?"

* * *

Carlisle was in the study looking at boats on the computer.

"Edward, come and take a look at this one."

Edward was wandering past the study door after speaking to Alice, still trying to get the image of Jane having a night of passion with anyone out of his head, so he was grateful for the diversion and changed direction to stand behind Carlisle to see what he was looking at."

"It's beautiful, Dad, but it's not far short of a million dollars. It's a bit excessive don't you think?"

"Nah, I can afford it. I've sold the condo, cashed in all my pensions and insurances and I've still got stocks and shares to keep me going through several lifetimes. I figured if I'm going to be stuck on the planet for eternity, I might as well have what I want and enjoy it. This little beauty has room for eight people; not that we need to sleep, but room for some privacy if we need it."

Carlisle winked suggestively at Edward and Edward's eyebrows went up to the ceiling, but as he was listening to his father chuckling like a juvenile, he thought he would seize the opportunity and mention what Bella had suggested while they were on the beach.

"Dad, I was meaning to talk to you about that."

Carlisle looked up in astonishment at Edward.

"You're not seeking advice from your old dad, are you?"

"No! Nothing like that. Look, this is a bit embarrassing, but Bella and I thought that something we do might help mom."

"Edward, if you've been reading the Karma Sutra and you're suggesting a new position, forget it. I agree your mother is certainly not the woman she was a few months ago, but she's still not ready for that sort of activity."

"Oh dear God no, it's nothing like that."

Edward's hand flew up to his forehead to mop some non-existent perspiration from his brow as he thought about how to broach the subject to his father whilst trying to expel another ghastly image from his brain. In the end, he decided to try not to think of the man who was looking up at him, smirking like an idiot, as 'Dad', but to treat him like just another guy. He drew an unnecessary deep breath and sat down next to him.

"Right, cards on the table, I'm going to tell it to you straight. When vampires have sex they can work themselves up into such a frenzied state that they bite their partners and exchange venom. The venom makes you feel amazing and your brain feels like it's been scrubbed clean. Bella and I thought that it might do mom some good. What do you think?"

"Are you're suggesting I have sex with your mother and bite her?"

"No, no, no! That's too much information, dad, please. I'm just suggesting we decant some venom into a syringe and inject her with it."

"Oh right, I get you now."

Edward was really wishing he could disappear into a hole in the ground. This was not the sort of conversation he should be having with his father and he was glad that the ability to blush was a thing of the past.

Carlisle rubbed his hand on his chin as he thought about Edward's proposal.

"Before I make up my mind about your mother, I would prefer to give it a go myself so I know what it feels like. What do you think?"

"Good idea. I'll bring some syringes home from the lab tomorrow, harvest some of my venom and you can make an assessment afterwards."

"Is it really that good?"

"It's awesome, dad. If they'd had stuff like this in the '60's there wouldn't have been any need for mind-altering chemicals to get high, so a bunch of famous rock stars might still be alive !"

* * *

"What can you see?"

"Shhhh!"

"Come on, Alice. You've been tranced out for ages."

"You can't hurry these things."

"I know, but Edward needs to find out quickly."

"Just shut up for a moment. Read some more of your book."

"I've finished it."

"Well play Candy Crush on your cell, but just leave me alone for half an hour."

Bella stood up from her desk and wandered over to the office window. It was raining outside but this morning the first flakes of snow were settling on their windshield as they drove into the town. They had spent the early hours of the morning sitting in the Volvo, waiting to see whether Lover-Boy John, or LBJ as they now called him, had spent the night at Jane's house. So when the door opened at 7.30 am, and Jane and a distinguished looking grey-haired man, probably in his early 50's, appeared on the step together and gave each other chaste kisses before they separated to get into different cars, they saw their prey for the first time.

Bella fired up the Volvo and they followed John's Jaguar through the town until he drew up outside a beautiful house not far from where Annalise Simpson lived. They watched the house for another hour but he didn't leave, so they gave up and drove on to the office where Jasper was waiting for them. Now they had LBJ's address, it would be easy to find out more details about the man and his background and whether or not he had an ulterior motive for romancing Jane.

The rain was beating hard on the window now. It was the beginning of December and winter looked as though it had definitely arrived to stay in the north east of the country. During the night, they had hunted in the nearby forest and even though they didn't feel the cold like humans, it hadn't been a pleasant experience. An icy wind had been blowing through the trees, dragging with it the last of the autumn leaves that had gallantly fought to stay on the branches through Halloween and beyond, and their loss had left the trees bare and bereft of life. Normally they enjoyed their outings to the forest, as hunting was exciting and the woodland was beautiful, especially when it was lit only by moonlight, but after they fed they didn't hang about this time but rushed back to the warmth of an open fire to curl up on a comfy sofa or in their own beds.

The forests in Connecticut were not as abundant with mammals as Washington, with only moose or deer to choose from in the winter months, but the herds were large enough to sustain their family. Alice and Jasper had suggested going further north to where the black bears roamed, but Bella and Edward were content not to stray too far from home for their sustenance, and certainly not until the Alec problem had been resolved. The New York coven was still supplying Esme with animal blood on a regular basis and Jasper would meet a vampire called Garrett about once every two weeks to pick up a new batch of sealed units. Occasionally Carlisle would drink these as well, rather than leave Esme to go out in the forest, so there was always plenty of back-up supplies in the refrigerators in the basement. Bella hadn't asked how the New York coven came by such a large amount of blood, but she guessed they harvested it from live animals as Brooklyn wasn't known for its wide open spaces and abundant feral wildlife.

As she was watching a particularly dark cloud move quickly across the sky, the office telephone rang. As Alice was still in a transcendental state, Bella leaned over the desk and picked it up.

"Connecticut Special Investigations, can I help you?"

"Is that Alice?"

"No it's Bella; Alice is in the middle of something at the moment. Would you like me to ask her to call you back?"

"Ummm, no. Can you give her a message please; it's Janet from the school."

"Oh right; Hi Janet."

"They're back."

"Who are?"

"The dealers. My son called me to say they were outside the school this morning, by the pedestrian gate again. Two different ones this time. My friend who has kids at the other high school says there have been dealers there too, blatantly selling drugs by their gates, and they've been seen outside the movie theatre and burger bars in town. The police are completely turning a blind eye to what's going on which is unbelievable. We've even been on to the local newspapers but for some reason they're not interested either."

"Okay, Janet. I'll pass the message on to Alice and we'll see what we can do. At the moment we're trying to find out who's supplying these guys. If we can cut off the source of the drugs and get irrefutable evidence to the police, then hopefully that will solve the problem."

"That would be wonderful. The other parents and I are very grateful to you both."

"Don't mention it, Janet. Alice has your number; we'll be in touch."

Bella put the phone down wondering what Alice would have planned for this new pair. They had watched the local news last night after they relieved the first two of their supplies, expecting to hear of bodies floating down the river, but nothing had been reported as yet.

As Bella was contemplating this, Alice came back to the real world with a big grin on her face.

"Have we got our man?" Bella asked excitedly. She really wanted to help Edward and if they could solve this mystery, then that would be one less problem for them all to worry about.

"I'm not sure, but there is far more to John than I first thought. His other name is Hodgson and he's already very wealthy, so he wouldn't be spying on the labs just for the money. He's been widowed for a long time, so the internet dating is possibly genuine. As far as I can tell he is quite the upstanding gentleman; lots of charitable work, well known and respected in the community, that sort of thing. He'll be putting his name forward to be Mayor in a few months' time, so that's a bit of a turn-up as well."

"What else did you find out?"

"This part is really interesting. He made his money in surveillance; hidden cameras, microphones, stuff like that. His clients were big business and the military, so he built up quite a solid reputation. He sold the company in the summer and has taken early retirement, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the skill or the equipment to do a spot of espionage in Masen Research, does it?"

"You mean Anthony's lab could've been bugged?"

"I think that's obvious now, Bella. If it wasn't the IT system that was hacked, then it must have been something simple like that. Probably hidden cameras, audio surveillance, that sort of thing."

"But how come Ace didn't discover this. He must surely have the labs scanned regularly for bugging devices?"

"Technology moves so fast nowadays. Unless the company he uses has the most up to date detection equipment, they may not be able to spot the latest devices, some of which are as small as a lapel pin."

Bella wasn't aware whether Edward had considered this. Working in such a high-tech environment every day, maybe this type of security breach hadn't been considered as it was too easy and, to be perfectly honest, too obvious. But if this was how the mole was doing it, there was the possibility that someone may have been watching and listening to Anthony and Edward as they talked about the arm in the lab, and also had recording equipment running when Anthony died, which was very worrying.

"So why are you grinning like a Cheshire cat, Alice Whitlock? We haven't solved the mystery yet, so what is that soppy expression doing on your face."

"The last vision I saw was Jane, in a lovely apricot silk wedding outfit, with Lover-Boy-John standing by her side. Jane tossed her bouquet into the crowd and guess who caught it?"

"Who?"

"You, Bella Swan!"

* * *

Bella was the lookout and she ducked out of sight for a second as soon as she spotted a familiar vehicle approaching the school's pedestrian gate.

"They're pulling up now," she whispered. "It's the same SUV as before but they look like different guys inside. Hold on….they're getting out."

"Are you sure it's not the same two?"

"Definitely not; they're taller and skinnier than the other two. They're both white and neither of them have tattoos on their arms."

"Okay, you know what to do?"

"Yes, Alice, but we've got to be really quick or it won't work."

"Have faith; it'll be hilarious. Have you got the camera set up?"

"Yes. For the hundredth time stop worrying."

"Are you sure there's no-one out there watching?"

"I can't see anything apart from empty staff cars. The yellow buses and the cars full of mommies are in the parking lot on the other side of the building. Shall we get started?"

"Yup; let's do this thing."

Alice flipped open a card-only anonymous cell phone and called the local precinct. After a few seconds the call was answered. Alice put on a high-pitched and panicky voice as she spoke to whoever was on the other end.

 _"It's the office at Hawkes High School. A huge fight has broken out on the sidewalk at the rear of the school. Can you get some officers down here fast?"_

Alice flipped the phone shut and grinned at Bella.

"No going back now! Are you ready?"

"Yep, I'm ready."

"Maximum ten seconds to do it."

"Piece of cake."

"I've got the bags."

"I've got the banner."

"Okay, when I say go, we go."

Bella nodded vigorously and waited for Alice's signal.

The two of them had been hiding behind a low fence when the SUV drew up and had watched as the two dealers got out of the vehicle. The replacement dealers had obviously been warned about what happened to their predecessors and had their backpacks slung in front of them this time. As they locked the SUV, they looked furtively around for any signs they were being watched. When they finally felt comfortable, they stood on the sidewalk next to the SUV and both lit cigarettes while they waited for their customers.

As they were puffing away, the school bell rang to mark the end of the day. Alice and Bella waited a couple of minutes before Alice gave the signal and they silently sprung over the fence and in a flash were right behind them. In less than a blink of an eye they covered the dealers' heads with canvas bags, dragging them tight at the neck, at the same time kicking the dealers' feet from under them so they crashed flat on their backs on the sidewalk, knocking the air out of their chests.

Before the dealers had time to react, the girls bent over them and tore the backpacks from the straps, ripping them open and emptying the contents all over their bodies and the sidewalk, then they jumped behind them and flung open a paper banner that Alice had made from a roll of wallpaper and two broomsticks she'd found in the office store. In bold letters it said,

Get Your Free Drugs Here!

Alice shot back in front of them as Bella positioned the camera that had been dangling around her neck. As Alice tore the canvas bags off their heads, that conveniently dragged the sunglasses and hoodies from the dealers' faces, Bella took several photos of the dealers in rapid succession. Then in a flash they disappeared from the scene and a few seconds later were climbing into the Volvo that had been parked in the side street. Alice had been counting the seconds in her head and when they slammed the car door, she shouted "eight".

The dealers sat on the sidewalk rubbing their eyes while they got their breath back. The flashes from Bella's camera had blinded them for a few seconds and landing on the hard edge of the paved sidewalk had badly bruised their ribs. As they were pulling themselves unsteadily to their feet, they heard a loud cheer coming from the direction of the school followed by stampeding feet.

As Alice and Bella were depriving them of their dignity as well as their drugs, students had started pouring out of the pedestrian gate. As soon as they spotted the banner leaning against the fence on the opposite side of the road, many of them rushed over and started grabbing handfuls of the splifs and tablets that were scattered on the ground. The dealers tried to gather up what they could but they were outnumbered about twenty to one.

Within seconds all hell had broken loose, as fights started when the students tried to snatch their share of the bounty either from the ground, or other students who were first on the scene, or from the dealers themselves. Staff then rushed out from the gate and one teacher, who realised what was going on, called 911, but was told that officers were already on their way. As soon as sirens could be heard in the distance, the fighting immediately ceased and the students made a run for it, most of them flinging the contraband away as they fled the scene.

The dealers were trying desperately to clamber back into the SUV, but were stopped by several members of staff who hauled them back onto the sidewalk and pinned them to the ground until the police arrived. There was enough narcotic evidence still lying on the sidewalk to incriminate them and after being read their rights they were handcuffed and thrown in the back of a police van.

While this was going on, Bella and Alice were sitting in the Volvo looking and laughing at the images on the digital camera. They had clear photos of the dealers' faces and these would be uploaded to the local precinct's 'Whistle-Blowers Website' within the hour. On the opposite side of the road, Jasper was watching them from the Cherokee. He wasn't happy that Alice was getting involved in the shadier side of life in this town, but he knew how much this war on drugs meant to her. All the time they had been together, neither of them had ever stood in the way of whatever the other one wanted to do, and at this point he wasn't going to interfere, but he was going to warn her to be careful as these dealers might have some nasty people controlling them that might not be such a pushover.

When Jasper was satisfied that the girls were safe, he pulled away and headed towards the beach house where no doubt he would be told every detail about how they had ripped off another couple of drug dealers. But as the girls were chuckling over the predicament of these two losers, and congratulating themselves on another successful sting operation, they didn't notice that a limousine with blacked out windows cruised past their vehicle and slowed for a moment, then accelerated away. As Bella fired the Volvo's engine into life, the limousine disappeared around the corner of the next block and made its way back to where Louis was waiting for his own surveillance team's report.

* * *

Louis was sitting behind an imposing oak desk leaning backwards on a studded red leather chair, while the two dealers who had been unceremoniously fleeced of their drugs a few hours earlier were standing on the opposite side of the desk shaking in fear. They had been released on bail, as the 'drugs' that Alice and Bella had tipped onto the sidewalk had turned out to be nothing worse than Tylenol tablets and cigarette tobacco shaped to look like splifs. The police could only charge them with causing a disturbance and had kicked them out of the precinct into the arms of their drug lord, who was now deciding what to do with them.

Louis was no fool. After being ripped off yesterday he wasn't going to risk losing another five k's worth of weed and ecstasy outside the high school. He needed to know who was turning him over; making him look like an easy touch. He had first of all suspected a group of parents were targeting his dealers, but he was now thinking differently, as these were professional stings and even he couldn't fathom how these vigilantes, if that's what they were, had carried them out without being seen. He had temporarily withdrawn all his dealers from outside places where kids hung out as he couldn't risk losing any more of his supplies, but he would have to get this sorted soon or his bosses would be on his back. He had already lost five k's worth of stock, so the kick-back he would be passing on to the 'family' in New York this month would already be seriously depleted.

Louis had sent two of his minders to keep watch on his dealers from a distance, but their account made absolutely no sense, as there was no way his dealers could be attacked, robbed and photographed in less than five seconds. The minders said it happened so fast that they couldn't describe the assailants, but they suspected the culprits were two girls who were sitting in a Volvo down a side street. They saw them laughing at pictures on a digital camera immediately after the incident and a few hours ago, pictures appeared on the internet of the dealers lying on the sidewalk, covered in contraband.

Louis took a long drag of his cigar then flicked the ash in the direction of the two young men whose faces were white as a sheet.

"Right, you useless idiots, I want to hear your version of events so I can decide what to do with you. I can smell bullshit a mile away, so don't fucking lie to me or you'll be walking on stumps for the rest of your lives. Do you hear me, dipshits."

"Yes, boss," they both muttered.

"You, fuck-face on the left, speak to me!"

"It happened so fast, boss. One second we were standing there, the next we were flat on our backs with bags over our heads. We didn't see or hear them coming; honestly, boss."

"Bullshit! Do you expect me to believe that we have two Kung Fu Grand Masters hanging out in Connecticut, who snuck up behind you, put bags over your heads and pulled you to the ground, then removed your backpacks, ripped them open and tipped the contents on the sidewalk. After they'd done that, they had time to tear the bags from your heads, photograph you, oh, and unfurl a banner behind you, before escaping completely out of sight. All this before you retaliated or attempted to see what Bruce Lee and the Karate Kid looked like?"

"Yes boss," they said in unison.

"Do you think I'm fucking stupid?"

"No boss," they responded; their voices wavering in terror.

"So you saw absolutely nothing?"

The dealers remained silent for a moment then one of them spoke up.

"I think they were women, boss."

"Oh really, what makes you think that, you low-life?"

"They smelled nice. One of them had the same perfume as my girl."

Louis almost choked in frustration. He couldn't cope with incompetence or cowardice, and he figured these two had both. Here were two grown men, both around six feet tall, who had been taken down by two girls.

"If it was a rival gang, I suppose I could understand your uselessness," he spat, "but are you, Beavis and Butthead, actually admitting to being turned over by women?"

The men fell silent. Their names weren't Beavis and Butthead, but they weren't going to argue with the tyrant on the other side of the desk. They knew he had killed people for less, and they were terrified.

Louis swung his legs off the desk and contemplated what his dealers had just said, which confirmed what his minders had told him. Something strange had happened this afternoon and he needed to get to the bottom of it before his business was affected. Luckily the minders had taken note of the registration plate of the Volvo and his contacts in the police would be able to tell him to whom it was registered before the day was out. But what was he going to do with these idiots?

He stood up and walked to the other side of the desk and stood in front of the dealers, who were visibly shaking.

"I've not done with you two yet. I'm going to give you the opportunity to make amends, even though your faces are all over the internet. Just get out of my sight before I really lose my temper. And remember, any more fuck-ups and you're dead; do you hear me."

"Yes boss," they choked as they quickly turned on their heels and exited out the door, leaving Louis on his own. He sat down in his chair again and thought about what had happened and who these girls were working for. It would have to be a rival gang, trying to move in on his territory, but that would be a fatal mistake on their part, as they had no idea who they were dealing with. Eventually he pressed a button under his desk and a few seconds later a man who was the size of a small house came in to the office from a side door."

"What can I do for you, boss?"

"Have you got anything on the licence plate?"

"Yes, boss. It's registered to Masen Research. I presume it's one of their company cars."

"Masen Research. Hmmm, interesting. They make drugs, medicines, that sort of thing, don't they, Frank?"

"Totally legit business as far as I know, boss. It's the biggest employer in the area as well. Mikey says the guy who owned it died a few months ago."

"Now this could be very worrying, Frank. I'm guessing the new boss has decided to extend his trade into the illegal drugs market and is trying to muscle us out of Connecticut. What do you think?"

"Could be, boss. If Masen Research make their own drugs; they'd be cutting out the middle-man as well."

"Very true. This isn't looking good. Have we got any contacts working in there?"

"No, I've checked, but I've already got men staking out the parking lot, watching out for the Volvo."

"Good work, Frank. I want this stopped, now, before it goes any further. No warnings, no threats this time. Masen Research need to know the type of people they are messing with so we're going to teach them a hard lesson, and we'll start with their Ninja Warriors. These women are dead, Frank, do you hear me? Dead."

"Loud and clear, boss. Trust me, they'll be wearing toe-tags in the morgue by tomorrow night, I can guarantee it."

* * *

 **You can admire Alice and Bella, turning the dealers over, but not such a good idea if they are trying to blend in with the local community and not bring attention on themselves. Now there's a price on their heads and Louis won't rest until he gets his revenge. Not good. But Louis doesn't realise he's dealing with immortal vampires, does he?**

 **Next chapter you're getting some venom and a lemon. Plus Bella is desperately missing Charlie and is now feeling resentful about how much she has given up.**

 **Also... Alec is back! (Sharp intake of breath)**

 **Joan xx**

 **PS: Apologies for the length of these chapters - but on previous stories I would upload two chapters at a time, then some readers would read the second chapter before the first and get totally confused. This way is a lot easier. Hope you agree!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Alice and Bella are in BIG trouble with the drug dealers, but are blissfully unaware of this fact at the moment. Back home, Edward is going to attempt to give Carlisle a 'venom experience', which should be fun and Alec is back on the scene again, which is definitely not fun.**

 **Lemon alert on this chapter for anyone who gets offended!**

 **Yep, I knew it, you're still here. Enjoy x**

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN - Angst

* * *

Louis reached over his desk and pressed the loudspeaker on his telephone.

"I told you I didn't want to be disturbed."

"Sorry, Boss, but I thought you'd like to know that I've tracked down the Volvo and its occupants."

"Is that a fact? Are you expecting a reward; a fan-fare, a tickertape parade? That's what I fucking pay you for, Frank."

"Yes, Boss."

Louis shoved away the half-naked girl who was giving him oral satisfaction while he was sitting in his reclining office chair. The girl shrieked in pain as her head hit the edge of the desk as he roughly pulled himself from her mouth and zipped his pants up. He wasn't in the mood for that now and she wasn't much good anyway.

"Fuck off you bitch and don't come back," he spat at the frightened girl. She stood up quickly then grabbed her clothes and ran across the office and out through the side door, not looking back at the vile slob she had been paid to gratify. When she had gone, Louis turned his attention back to Frank who had been patiently waiting on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, Columbo; who and where are the bitches and what are you going to do about them?"

"They run a private detective agency in town. We questioned a kid who goes to the high school and he said that the PTA hired them to find out who we are and stop us."

"Bad move, bad move."

"What do you want me to do, Boss?"

"What do you think, you stupid asshole. Go after them and burn them, do you hear me? Burn them."

* * *

Edward was sitting next to his father watching his face intently.

"Can you feel anything?"

"Not yet. How long is it before it takes effect?"

"Minutes."

"How long has it been now?"

"Ten minutes."

"Do you think it only works if you've just blown your load?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know what to suggest."

"Well I could …"

"No dad, I'm sure mom wouldn't appreciate that at the moment. She's on the second season of Dynasty and doesn't like to be disturbed."

"I didn't mean that, I meant ….. you know?" Carlisle made an obscene gesture with his hand.

"Oh! Right; you mean a bit of self-loving? God, this conversation is so wrong!"

Carlisle chuckled at his son's embarrassment.

"Edward, top the syringe up with venom. I'll go off to the bathroom and let you know how I get on. I can quite easily inject myself in the neck again. Okay?"

Edward nodded in agreement then proceeded to allow some more of his venom to drip into the empty syringe until it was half full.

"I'm fresh out of Playboys; sorry dad."

"That's okay, son. I've got a great picture of your mother in a bikini that normally does the trick."

Edward groaned as he put his fingers in his ears, but not quick enough to avoid that comment.

"I so did not need to hear that," he mumbled as he shook his head in despair.

Carlisle went upstairs to do the deed, gaily humming the tune to 'My Ding-a-Ling', and Edward heard the bathroom door being locked from the inside. He had to get out of the house, as the thought of his father doing what he was doing was just too much to cope with and he needed to be distracted.

Bella was sitting outside on the deck watching the first stars appearing in the night sky. Without asking permission, he picked her up out of her chair, slung her over his shoulder and jumped onto the beach in one leap.

Bella squealed as Edward ran towards the sea. She was expecting to be dunked, but he stopped just short of the water and dropped down on his knees. He carefully rolled Bella off his shoulder so she was lying on the sand and he looked down into her golden eyes that were shining with excitement.

"I want you, Bella; I want to have you, right now."

"Here, on the beach? Won't your parents see us?"

"Mom's watching TV and Dad is… busy."

Bella looked up at Edward and she could see the earnest expression in his face. At this particular moment he was the epitome of male beauty. His thick and silky auburn hair was sexily ruffled like he had just got out of bed. His shirt was open so she could see his beautifully toned chest, and his lips were set in a soft pout, just begging to be kissed. His Adam's apple was bobbing up and down as he swallowed the venom that was pooling in his mouth, but it was his piercing almond eyes, surrounded by long dark lashes, that spoke clearly of his desperate need to make love to her. They oozed a blatant desire to be sexually intimate and her body responded eagerly to his silent call.

She lifted her hands and buried them in his hair, then pulled his face to hers, kissing him passionately. As they broke the kiss and he drew away from her, his head and shoulders were silhouetted against the night sky and a halo of bright winter stars surrounded him. If she'd have met this man for the first time tonight, she wouldn't have been surprised to see wings sprouting from his back, as he looked as though he had just descended to earth straight from heaven.

"Kiss me like you did after the Prom, Edward. I want to feel again what I felt that night."

Edward brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her gently then he took her bottom lip in his mouth and sucked it. But before he went further, he fingered strands of her hair and gazed into her eyes as he recalled the events of that exquisite night over ten years ago.

"That night I lay awake for hours; just thinking about kissing you made me come. I wanted to drive back to your house, climb through your window and if you'd have let me, make love to you all night long. It was only respect for your father and duty to my family that stopped me. You brought me to life that night, Bella. If you hadn't taken my hand and pulled me into your house and made me feel and act like a man for the first time, I would have ended up like Anthony; a lonely scientist married to my research. You saved me, Bella."

"You awakened me to life too, Edward; we were meant to be together. Nobody came close to reigniting the flame that died when you left me that night. I've always loved you and my love for you grows stronger every day."

Edward placed his lips on hers, gently at first, as her words of love found a home in his soul. He could feel that he was rock hard, but Bella wanted to be kissed like their first time, so he put his hands on either side of her neck and held her head in his firm grip. Bella's lips opened slightly in anticipation of his assault and he covered her mouth with his, forcing her lips further apart with his tongue then plunging into her soft and welcoming mouth.

Their tongues fought a battle as the kiss became more passionate; both of them moaning as they became more and more aroused. Edward rolled onto his back, pulling Bella on top of him, not breaking the mouth to mouth contact as he held her head in a vice-like grip, becoming more frenzied as the battle continued. When he finally broke the kiss, he ripped her panties from under her dress and in one swift movement he flung her on her back again.

He sat up on his knees and undid his pants, pulling out his throbbing cock and stroking it sensually in front of her. But his face was distorted with anger as he thought about those lost ten years and the fact that Bella wasn't a virgin when he first had her in the janitor's cupboard and his frustration spilled out of his mouth as he thought about the men who had been with Bella before him.

"I _should_ have driven back that night," he hissed furiously, "because _I_ should have been your first, and _you_ should have been mine. I can't bear to think of you with anyone else, Bella. It cuts me up that other men have had you. I want to kill them all. No-one else should be able to live with the knowledge of what it's like to be with you."

Bella ran her hands over his bare torso, willing him to calm down. His eyes were blazing and his chest was heaving, even though he wasn't taking in any air. His venom coated teeth were glistening in the moonlight and Bella knew that the Edward hovering over her was nothing like the Edward who had kissed her after the senior prom. This Edward was a furious vampire who wanted to cleanse the planet of anyone who had intimately touched her and she knew she had to placate him, because at this moment in time he was dangerous.

"Edward, they were just boys compared to you. You were the first man who ever truly made love to me, and that happened the third time we had sex, after our shower in my apartment. I didn't know there was a difference between having sex and making love until that night, so you were truly my first and you'll be my last; my one and only lover. Make love to me now, Edward; I want you so badly."

Edward's eyes bored into hers and as he held her earnest gaze and her reassurances were being absorbed into his over-heated brain, it seemed to him as though he was able to access her thoughts. But it wasn't actual words he was hearing, it was an aura of pure love and devotion that was radiating from her being, wrapping itself around him like a soft, protective cloak, convincing him that she meant every word she said and that in her heart he _was_ her first and only lover. He hung his head; sad that his words had interrupted their special moment, but as she gently touched his face with her fingertips, soothing the beast within him, he knew he felt the same, as sex had been 'just sex' before Bella came back in his life and he had discovered for the first time what the term 'making love' truly meant.

He raised his head and as his eyes locked with hers again, she wrapped her legs around his hips and rubbed her hot centre against his cock. As he gently pushed into her, claiming her as his own, Bella sighed as he filled her and he knew then that what they had was true love that was deep and everlasting, and he had to stop himself crying out in gratitude for having Bella in his life. The madness that had enveloped him had disappeared as quickly as it came, and as he took control of her body, he was determined to show in his movements how much he really cared for her.

Their love making was slow and gentle, but just as passionate as the times when they had exchanged venom. As he felt his climax approaching, he was aware that the tide was slowly creeping up the beach, and with every seventh wave the rushing water was touching their lower limbs before the pull of the ocean sucked it away from where they lying on the sand. As he released into her body, he told her how much he loved her and as his body shook as his seed left him, she wrapped her legs and arms around him in an unbreakable embrace before she fell apart in his arms. Locked together on the wet sand, their bodies trembling and convulsing as they touched paradise, they didn't need to exchange venom to be content; their words of devotion had been enough to satisfy one another.

Afterwards, as they lay side by side on the sand, looking up at the millions of stars whose brilliance had swallowed the winter constellations, they both knew that whatever happened in the future, life and love didn't really get much better than this.

* * *

Edward bent over and scooped Bella up from the beach. Her legs and the bottom of her dress were soaking, as were his pants, but neither of them had been bothered by the freezing ocean as it washed over them. Bella was still blissed out from their love-making session, which was definitely in her top three intimate moments she had shared with Edward, and now he was carrying her back to the house in his arms while kissing her repeatedly on the forehead.

"Women's liberation can go to hell," she thought as he strode manfully across the beach. "I'm loving this 'me Tarzan, you Jane' scenario'!" She snuggled up to him until he reached the house then flung her arms around his neck as he leaped onto the deck. After kissing her tenderly on the lips, he lowered her to the ground then kissed her again.

"Are you okay?" he asked lovingly as he brushed some sand from her hair.

Bella nodded her head. "Wonderful, thanks but I'd better go and clean up."

"You look perfectly fine to me."

"I've got grains of sand in places where there shouldn't be grains of sand, Edward, so I'm going for a long, hot bath. You can come too if you like?"

"Much as I would love to 'come', I need to see my dad."

Edward grinned at her then bent over and kissed her on top of her head. He watched her as she made her way to the stairs, but as she put her foot on the bottom step she pulled her dress up to her waist, giving Edward a clear view of her naked butt that was now panty-less because he had torn the offending garment to shreds on the beach.

Edward felt his cock twitch and he was sorely tempted to fling her over his shoulder, run upstairs with her and shag her until she begged for mercy for blatantly tempting him, grains of sand be damned, but he resisted and wagged his finger at her. He reluctantly turned away from his Jezebel and disappeared into Carlisle's study, where he could hear his father tapping his keyboard.

"What happened then?"

"Absolutely nothing. Lucy in the Sky was definitely not showing me her Diamonds tonight. Are you sure it's the venom, Edward?"

"One hundred percent. I spoke to Jasper about it after I bit Bella for the first time. I was worried I might have killed her."

"Maybe I'm too old?"

"Vampires don't grow old, dad. I'm going to talk to Jasper; we must be doing something wrong."

Edward left the study and went into the laundry room to find some dry clothes. After changing into some sweat pants, he wandered into the conservatory where Esme was watching re-runs of Dynasty. He walked up behind her and kissed her on the cheek then sat beside her, taking hold of her hand and bringing it up to his mouth for another kiss.

Esme was a startlingly beautiful woman for her age. She was in her late fifties, but the change had ironed out all the fine lines on her face, and her auburn hair, which had never gone grey, was now lusciously thick with deep waves, making her look like a young Rita Hayworth.

Esme turned to Edward and smiled as he laid her hand back on her lap.

"I remember this episode, Edward. I know what's going to happen next."

"Really, mom? That's amazing. It's must be thirty years since you've seen it."

"I'm sure it is, but you watch; Krystle is going to slap Alexis, any second now….. there you go."

Edward looked at his mother in astonishment; she was smiling triumphantly like she had just fitted the last piece in a jigsaw.

"I can remember a lot more now; I just wish I could remember you when you were a little boy."

"Don't worry mom; those memories will come back one day."

"What happened to me, Edward? Your father won't talk to me about it and I'm confused and frustrated."

"You were ill for a long time, mom. We never thought you were going to get better but we found a way to help you. When you're stronger we will tell you everything, but at the moment we just want you to keep improving."

"Alright, Edward, I'll be patient. But can you just explain one thing to me?"

"Sure, mom, what is it?"

"Why does no-one in this house eat or sleep anymore? I know my brain isn't working as it should, but something has happened to this family which isn't normal and I want to know what it is."

Edward could see the steely determination in his mother's eyes. She needed an answer from him and he was at a loss what to say. The truth was out of the question, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to his mother so he decided to give her half the story.

"Mom, you're right, something has happened to us. Dad was very sick; in fact he was dying. We found out about a treatment that might help him, but he would only try it if it helped you as well, so we gave you the treatment first. When you started to improve, dad took the treatment and it cured his illness too. Jasper and Alice had already been having the treatment for a while and they told us how good their life was; they were never sick and felt strong and healthy every day, so Bella and I decided to give it a go too. The side effects are that we don't sleep and can only have the red drink that you have."

Esme smiled at her son then took his hand, instinctively kissing his fingers one by one, like she used to do when he was a baby.

"I don't think you've told me the whole story, Edward, but I'll accept that for the moment. But I'm warning you that I might soon need an explanation as to why when I got out of my chair yesterday, I crossed the room in a split second, so you'd better start thinking of a plausible answer for that question."

Edward smiled at her, but he knew the time had come when his father had to come up with more than simplistic platitudes to satisfy his wife's curiosity, and it would have to be something a bit more inventive than a vitamin drink.

* * *

Jasper and Alice came in to the conservatory whilst Edward was sitting with his mother watching yet another episode of Dynasty. They had been to the cinema in town and were still buzzing about the movie. Edward let go of his mother's hand and stood up.

"Jasper, can I have a word? I've got a bit of a problem."

Alice dropped herself down next to Esme and said, excitedly, "Dynasty, my favourite. I just loved the fashions then, didn't you?"

Jasper followed Edward into the study where Carlisle was looking at boats again on his computer.

Edward took a deep breath and bit the bullet. This was going to be another embarrassing conversation in front of his father, but he needed to know where he was going wrong.

"Jasper, you know when vampires exchange venom after sex, they get that amazing feeling like their brain cells have been renewed?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Well, Bella and I thought if my mother experienced that, it might accelerate her recovery."

"Right, good thinking. What's the problem then?"

"I spoke to dad about it and he was a bit wary, so we tried it on him first?"

"What! You mean you had sex with your dad?"

Carlisle looked up from his computer and chuckled at the thought.

"No, Jasper. Jesus Christ! I decanted some of my venom into a syringe and injected dad with it, but he didn't feel anything at all."

Jasper's mouth dropped open as he gazed at the expectant faces of Edward and Carlisle, then he burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Edward hissed.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it," Jasper replied as he tried to control himself, but he doubled up at the thought of Edward sitting there, waiting for the fireworks to start exploding in Carlisle's brain.

When he stopped laughing, Jasper wiped his eyes even though there were no tears coming from them; it was just a natural human reaction. He sat down on a chair and gestured for Edward to sit down too. This would take a bit of explaining.

"Okay guys, here's the deal. The reason it didn't work was that you're both males. It only works male on female, female on male and only when you're sexually excited. It's probably something to do with the chemicals that are released in your brain when you orgasm that react when they mix with the venom."

"Oh shit, I never thought of that!" Edward exclaimed as he smacked his hand on his forehead.

"That's tough luck for any gay vampires out there," Carlisle commented sympathetically.

"Too right, it's tough; I have gay friends in New York who feel pretty aggrieved about it, but that's the way it is."

Now he had learned what the problem was, Edward knew that they would have to bide their time before his mother was ready to experiment in this way. But now he was thinking more about the implications of this piece of information, especially for the safety of Alice who was being stalked by Alec, and for Bella who may be caught in the crossfire if there was a battle.

"Is this part of the reason why you're convinced Alec will return to claim Alice?" he asked Jasper.

Jasper nodded in affirmation and a worried expression crossed his face.

"Can you imagine experiencing what we've experienced, then being denied access to the female who you believe is your soulmate? Alec's craving must be excruciating, knowing that the female vampire he desires is so close. The lure of Alice will consume him eventually, even though he accepts he may be risking his life. He will come for her one day. I'm actually surprised he's held back this long. I would suspect he's trying to round up some help but is not having much luck because he's universally hated in this part of the country."

Edward was still confused as to why Alec was pursuing Alice, when he was patently aware Alice wanted nothing to do with him.

"If somehow Alec did confront Alice in the future and overpowered her," he asked, "she's not going to bite him to give him pleasure, is she?"

"No, but she would bite him to defend herself. The chemicals released during sex, or endorphins to give them their proper name, are the same as the ones that are released when you're attacked. They're part of a human's primeval defence mechanism commonly known as 'fight or flight', and this chemical is still present in vampires. For a male vampire, being bitten by a terrified female vampire is just as good as consensual sex. Not all vampires are rapists, but there are some who will attack a female vampire, not for sex, but just for the venom experience, which is why female vampires are so vulnerable."

Edward and Carlisle looked horrified. "It must be really tough being a single female vampire then," Carlisle said.

"Not just single vampires, Carlisle. Married ones or ones with long term partners also get attacked; that's why their partners stay so close. This is because there are very few single females around as most find their soulmate quickly; they're drawn to them."

"What do you mean?"

"Take me and Alice for instance. I often used to visit New York; I saw it grow from a small harbour town to the city it is today. Vampires have always been there; they were attracted to the area because of the thousands of immigrants coming over from Europe to settle as there were easy pickings to be had. No-one would miss a single man or woman who had just been allowed to enter the United States through Ellis Island."

"Good grief; they could've eaten Bob Hope!" Carlisle said with a grin.

Jasper laughed at that, but it was true. Even Einstein had come into America through Ellis Island, and maybe some other genius or entrepreneur had been caught either by him or another vampire before they had a chance to make their mark on American society.

"One day I was in the area we now call Brooklyn when I caught the scent of a female vampire. Her scent was so sweet that I was compelled to track her down. I didn't know it at the time but Alice had smelled my scent and was trying to track me down too. We found each other later that day as we were drawn together like powerful magnets; the attraction was unbelievably strong. I knew her and she knew me the moment our eyes met and within the hour we were exchanging venom. When I saw her for the first time I knew immediately that the only thing that would ever separate us would be death."

"Do you think Alec has the same feelings for Alice as you have?"

"I'm not sure. When we were arguing in Alaska he inferred he had the right to take her away which I didn't understand."

"Do you think he was the vampire who changed her?" Edward suggested.

"That did cross my mind. Alice has always said she didn't know who changed her as she was sedated in the psychiatric hospital when it happened. It is possible though."

"So Alec is probably suffering from a serious case of blue balls then?"

"Yes, and now he knows Alice is close, they're probably a deep shade of violet by now. When he eventually gets here he's going to be pumped up and ready to explode, which will be to our advantage."

"How do you make that out?"

"Because he'll be thinking with his balls not his brain, hopefully."

* * *

Edward left the study while Carlisle was showing a totally disinterested Jasper a picture of the yacht he was going to purchase shortly. Jasper hated the water; even crossing the Sound in Seattle to get from the city to Forks freaked him out. He wasn't certain where the fear sprung from; he just presumed there was a deep seated memory from when he was human that was embedded in his psyche. He preferred that his feet stayed on terra firma whenever possible.

Edward made his way upstairs to find Bella. He could hear her in their bedroom talking to her father on Skype again. He hung back and eavesdropped on the conversation and could tell that Bella's voice was wavering as she was explaining why she couldn't come back to Forks just yet. He knew she would run out of excuses one day and they would have to make the decision whether to cut all contact sooner rather than later and that was a day he was not looking forward to. As he leaned against the wall, waiting for the right opportunity to walk in the room, he heard Bella say goodbye to Charlie then run over to the bed where she threw herself down on it.

He pushed the door open and slowly walked across the room and lay on the bed next to her, gathering her up in his arms as she pummelled his chest in anguish.

"I'm breaking his heart, Edward. I don't know what to say to him anymore. He's my dad; I can't just stop being his daughter and I can't disappear; it would kill him. I didn't sign up for this."

"I know, Bella; I know."

"No _you_ don't. _Your_ life has hardly changed; you've still got your mom and dad, your job and your home. I've left everything I've ever known to be with you. You've no idea what I'm going through. I love you, Edward, but I love my dad too. We've got to work something out."

Edward held her until she calmed down. She was right; his life had hardly changed since he became a vampire and he understood the sense of injustice she was feeling. Even though he couldn't think how, he would have to think of a way she could see her father or he knew she would be bereft until the day Charlie died.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm really sad that you get upset every time you talk to your dad. We'll work something out, I promise."

"It's not just dad I miss, Edward; I miss Angela and Rosalie too. I miss Seattle. I miss being a scientist. I miss coffee and donuts. I miss waking up in the morning. I miss going to parties. In fact I miss everything about my former life, but most of all I miss being around people, especially the people I love."

"You know we didn't have a choice, Bella. Neither of us wanted to be vampires; it was that or death. We have to make the most of what we _have_ got."

"I know but what I haven't got now was such a fundamental part of my life."

Edward held her close, kissing her on the top of her head occasionally, until he felt her body relax in his arms. He put his hand gently under her chin and lifted her face so he could kiss her on her lips.

"I'm sorry, Edward, I was just having a moment there; I'll be okay."

"You're entitled to have 'moments', Bella. I've had the odd few."

"Really? So what has changed in your life?" Bella responded, mildly sarcastically.

"Compared to you, not much, but there is something I'll never have now."

"What's that?"

"A son or a daughter."

"Oh!"

"I know it's the same for you, but I've always wanted kids, but that's never going to happen for us now."

"That really sucks, doesn't it."

"Bella, I love you and I know that you love me. We'll find a way to make this work; I can't bear to see you unhappy."

"I know we will, Edward, but somehow I've got to find a way to see my dad."

* * *

It was almost dawn when Alec's head appeared above the water and for a while he watched the comings and goings inside the beach house from his vantage point in the sea. He counted five cars on the drive so he knew they were all at home, but he had no intention of striking just yet, even if only one or two cars had been there.

Life for the Whitlocks and the Masens was falling into a pattern. Alice and the other young female would leave in the morning in either the Volvo or the yellow Porsche, always followed by Jasper in the Cherokee, and they would be gone for most of the day. The other young male would come and go at odd times, but he would almost always drive the red Porsche; very rarely would he take the Volvo. Most of the time the older couple would be in the house on their own and would go for walks along the beach or would sit out on the deck holding hands. In all the time he had been watching them, he had never seen the older female stray far from the house and she was never left alone.

He had done his homework and had found out that the house was owned by the Masens of Masen's Research, which was probably where the younger male headed to every day. He guessed this young vampire was Edward Masen and was astounded that one of their kind was able to hold down a high-powered job without being discovered. The older couple were probably his parents, which was another surprise, as very few blood-related families existed in the vampire world.

As he watched Alice walking through the conservatory, then bend over to kiss Jasper on the forehead, he said aloud to himself, "Be patient, Alec. Just a little longer to wait then Alice will be yours forever." He took a last look at his soulmate for the night then disappeared under the waves and didn't surface again until he spotted the lights of a small fishing boat glimmering on the surface of the water about a mile out to sea.

Only a few minutes later the crew of the boat were frantically searching for their shipmate who had inexplicably fallen overboard and had already disappeared beneath the waves, even though he was wearing a life jacket. But their search was futile, as his complete body would never be seen again. Alec had already drained his blood and ripped him to shreds, leaving his remains to be picked over by some interested sharks that had been alerted by the thrashing noises of the helpless fisherman and the scent of what little blood lingered in his body parts.

No doubt some time the next day, when parts of the dismembered fisherman were washed up on the beach, irrefutable evidence of yet another tragic victim of a shark attack would be reported to the shocked community via the local TV station. Then life would go back to normal on this part of the coast and the understandably ignorant humans who lived and worked in this privileged part of the United States, would continue to be blissfully unaware that it was vampires, not sharks, who were the most dangerous predators lurking in their seas and oceans.

As Alec swam away from the scene of carnage, heading for the place where he had arranged to meet up with his coven, he was counting in hours rather than days to the time when he would be ready to make his move. Now his coven was back to full strength, he was confident that in less than 48 hours he would be in possession of Alice and he would be experiencing the bliss of her venom, whether it was willingly or unwillingly given. He had searched the continent for the past three years for this female and if his carefully thought out plan worked, she would turn her back on Jasper Whitlock and walk away from her husband and into his waiting arms from where there would be no escape.

* * *

 **What the heck has he cooked up to make her want to do that? Alice always has Jasper with her, but maybe Alec can see the future as well and knows when Alice is going to be left unguarded. Or maybe he's got another dastardly plan up his sleeve. You'll soon find out.**

 **The next chapter, I assure you, will be explosive!**

 **Joan xx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Alec is ready to strike and our vampires have been totally unaware they've been watched from the sea over the last few days. Very creepy. Life goes on at CSI and Masen Research, but they're going to find out where their weak spot is and Alec will be there to take advantage.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWELVE - Missing**

* * *

Bella was back at her desk after a morning of tailing John Hodgson and an afternoon of tailing an allegedly unfaithful wife when the telephone rang.

"Connecticut Special Investigations, can I help you."

"I sincerely hope you can."

"Would you like to tell me what the problem is, Sir?"

"I think I'm being followed."

"Really? Why do you think that?"

"I keep seeing the same car behind me when I'm driving. I first noticed it outside my fiancée's house a few mornings ago. It was parked there for a while then it followed me home. It was behind me again when I drove to the golf club the next day, then this morning; it followed me from my home into town.

"Is there any reason someone might be following you?"

"Absolutely not. I haven't got any skeletons in my cupboard that I can think of."

"Okay, I'm sure we can find out who this person is quite easily. First of all, can I take your name and contact details please."

"Of course, my name is John Hodgson."

Bella nearly choked when he said his name. Alice had just come downstairs from seeing Jasper and was walking towards her desk when she noticed Bella gesticulating wildly at the telephone, so she picked her extension up so she could listen in to the conversation.

"Could I take your address and cell number, _Mr_. _Hodgson_?"

Alice's eyes instantly widened when Bella said his name, then she mouthed the words "Holy Shit!" and clapped her hand over her mouth to stop any other noises, like laughter, coming out. She could tell that Bella was having difficulty keeping a straight face and that only made matters worse.

"Thank you, Mr. Hodgson. Now could you tell me the make and colour of the car?"

"Sure, it's definitely a silver Volvo. I'm sorry, my eyes aren't good enough to read the plate, but I'm pretty sure it starts with an M."

"That's okay, Mr. Hodgson. We'll get right on this and report back to you. By the way, why did you choose CSI? There are a lot of other agencies out there."

"My fiancée told me I look like Grissom, which is why she winked at me on the internet dating site! I'm a bit older than the original, but she says I'm the next best thing."

"Oh, that is a funny story, Mr. Hodgson. Now don't worry; my colleague and I will be on this straight away, so if you see a yellow Porsche in the neighborhood that will be us. I'll call you in a few days and give you an update. Goodbye."

Bella put the phone down, looked at Alice and they both burst into hysterical laughter.

"I think we need to practice our surveillance techniques a bit more, don't you, Bella?" Alice said after they'd calmed down.

"Obviously!"

"At least we'll be able to get our foot in the door and have a look around his house when we report back to him. Are you going to tell Edward?"

"Yes, I'll call him now; he's going to think we're a pair of useless amateurs though. I know he was going to the lab today to do some work with Ben so it'll give him something to laugh about but I really wish we could come up with something that would help him soon. Are you sure you can't see anything else in the future that might help?"

"I've tried looking ahead but I'm not getting anything either on this or when Alec is going to make his move, which is comforting in one respect, but slightly unbelievable to be honest. I'm beginning to think Alec has some sort of shield protecting him because I can't believe he's given up. Either that, or I'm losing my touch."

"Are you still convinced Alec will come for you?"

"Yep, I'm sure he'll be back soon. I guess he didn't confront us that night because Jasper and I had you guys with us on the deck. He might come back with reinforcements next time, which could be a problem."

"Have you said anything to Jasper about what he did to you?"

"Not yet, but I've decided to tell him that Alec told me he was the one who changed me when we were in Alaska, but I'm going to say I didn't believe him."

"Why, Alice? Why don't you tell Jasper the truth?"

"Because, if there's a fight, I want Jasper to be thinking clearly rather than seeking revenge for something that happened a hundred years ago. If I told Jasper Alec had raped me, he wouldn't be thinking rationally, which would make us all vulnerable. Until we went to Alaska, I'd never seen Jasper really worked up in that way and that was only because Alec was claiming I was his soulmate. I can't imagine how frightening he'd be if he knew the truth. To be honest I never want to see him look like that again."

"What did he look like?"

"He looked really ferocious and angry, Bella. His eyes were wild and he snarled at Alec. He would've ripped him to shreds if we hadn't been in Tanya's house."

"Scary."

"Really scary."

"Edward says he's been telling him about the vampire wars in the south after the Civil War. He said Jasper had lots of battles with other vampires. He must be very experienced."

"He is, and I'm glad he's found someone to talk to about that time. Peter was the only one left who fought with him then but he's gone, so that link with the past has gone too. I don't know if you've noticed, but Jasper's arms are covered in scars from previous encounters with vampires. He won't talk about how he got them, but the fact that he's the one who's still standing must count for something. If it was a fair fight, one-on-one, I doubt whether Alec would stand a chance."

"That's good to know."

"The problem is though that Alec has seen the scars and must know that Jasper is a formidable opponent, so the chance of the fight being fair is very slim."

"Oh!"

"Don't worry, Bella, I'm sure we'll be fine. Anyway, I thought you were going to call Edward to tell him we've fucked up!"

Bella picked her cell off the desk but before she had a chance to hit the speed dial number they both burst out laughing again.

* * *

Edward snapped his cell shut and chuckled to himself. After what Bella had just told him he was re-thinking whether John and Jane had anything to do with the leak, especially as John had said that Jane had winked at him first, so he would have to put his thinking cap back on. If only Alice could come up with another snippet of information he could narrow the field of suspects down to a select few.

He looked across the lab at Ben who was checking data on his computer screen. They had just run a series of tests on blood taken from lab rats and the results looked very promising.

As he crossed the lab to have a word with one of the technicians, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket so he looked to see who was calling. It was Carlisle. He wasn't expecting a call from him and as it was already starting to get dark, it wasn't likely to be an impromptu invitation for a trip out on the boat.

"Hi, dad, what's up?"

"You'd better get home, Edward. It's your mother."

"What's happened; is she unwell?" As soon as he said that, he realised what a stupid question that was.

"No, Edward. She's gone."

"What do you mean?"

"I left her on her own watching TV for a few moments while I got a book from upstairs and when I came back she was nowhere to be seen and the conservatory door was open."

"I'm on my way, dad. Get Jasper and the girls home too, as fast as possible."

Edward flung his lab coat off and grabbed his jacket, then realised he was moving far too quickly for a human, but fortunately everyone was looking away from him as they were all pretending not to have overheard what was obviously a private conversation.

"Ben, I've got to go, my mother is unwell. Can you hold the fort here? I probably won't be back this evening."

"No worries, Edward. I hope your mom is okay."

"Thanks, me too. I'll see you tomorrow."

Edward had to restrain himself from moving through the building like a bolt of lightning, but once in Anthony's Porsche he floored the gas pedal as soon as he exited the parking lot and the smell of burning rubber followed him all the way to the coast.

As he was driving towards the beach house, his eyes were flashing from side to side, hoping to spot his mother on the road or in a field, or by a shop, but also hoping and praying that she hadn't been spotted by someone with a video phone.

As he turned onto the single track road that led to the house, he heard the throaty roar of another muscle car behind him and in his rear view mirror he saw Alice in her yellow Porsche, but she was on her own; Bella wasn't with her.

As they pulled up on the drive, Edward was out of the car in a flash.

"Where's Bella and Jasper?"

"They're following in the Volvo. When we got to the parking lot her car had been vandalised."

"Shit! How much damage?"

"The driver's side window was smashed and someone had been in the car."

Edward looked up and could see the lights of the Volvo at the top of the track. He didn't wait for them to arrive but dashed into the house to find his father sitting on the bottom stair with his head in his hands. Edward squatted in front of him and put his hand on Carlisle's shoulder in a semi-hug.

"Don't worry, dad, we'll find her. I'm sure she's just gone out for a walk."

"You're probably right, Edward, but what if she meets a human that's just gone out for a walk too? We've got to find her and fast."

They both jumped as they heard Alice scream at the same as they heard the Volvo pulling up by the house. Before Edward could react, Jasper was in the study and Edward knew immediately from the look on his face that something was seriously wrong.

"What is it, Jasper?"

"It's Alec. He's been in the house; I caught his scent as soon as I got out the car. Alice can smell him too now."

Carlisle grabbed Jasper by the arms; his hands were shaking violently as he immediately guessed what had happened.

"Do you think he's taken Esme, Jasper?"

"Definitely. His plan will be to trade her for Alice. I suspected he would do something like this."

Carlisle groaned and grabbed handfuls of his hair in anguish; a trait that obviously ran in the family.

Jasper took Carlisle by the arms this time and tried to speak calmly.

"Don't worry, Carlisle, Esme will still be alive. She's currency as far as he's concerned; your wife for my wife."

Edward stared dumfounded at the two of them as the implications of what was happening hit home. He had absolutely no idea what to do next; feud's between vampires wasn't something he was expecting to have to deal with, and the prospect of having to fight to protect his family was a reality he wasn't yet ready to face.

As Edward watched Jasper's expression turn from anguish and confusion to ferocious anger, Alice and Bella came into the room and flung their arms around Carlisle then turned to look at Edward and Jasper, wanting desperately to hear from them that everything was going to be alright. Alice had guessed what had happened and was already thinking of the implications for her and Esme.

Jasper's hands were clenched and everyone in the room could see he was trying valiantly to stay in control. His mind was working overtime, trying to second guess what Alec's next move would be. What would he do? Where would he keep Esme until the exchange happened? Would the exchange be tonight, or tomorrow, or next week? How much longer would he have with Alice before it happened, and, more importantly, was he actually capable of watching Alice being traded for Esme?

Carlisle was beside himself with worry. Esme was in the hands of at least one hostile male vampire, maybe more. Horrific thoughts were tumbling through his overloaded mind as he recalled the conversation he had with Jasper about female vampires being vulnerable, and he blanched at the thought of Esme being with unrestrained males for any length of time.

Edward broke the silence; his voice shaking with emotion. He decided to take control of the situation, so without any more hesitation he started barking out orders.

"Jasper, you've got to find his trail. Go outside and search the beach and the dunes and don't come back until you pick something up.

"Alice, find a darkened room, now! Use that incredible mind of yours to search for anything unusual in the future; focus your mind until you come up with something.

"Bella, get on the internet and see if you can find any evidence of Alec being in this general area. Look for reports of any humans that have gone missing lately? Look for clusters of activity; maybe we can work out where they're hiding."

Jasper took a deep breath as though he was going to say something, but without acknowledging Edward's orders he walked slowly out onto the deck and looked out to sea. Night had quickly fallen while they were on their way home and the air was cool and still. Alec's scent was strong on the deck, so Jasper guessed he must have crouched by the conservatory door, waiting for his opportunity to grab Esme as soon as she was left alone.

As Jasper stood there, memorising every nuance of his enemy's scent, there was a brilliant flash, followed immediately by a huge explosion. Jasper caught the full force of the after-shock that hit him a second later and he only just managed to stay upright. The house shook, rattling the doors and windows violently in their frames and the grasses on the dunes were momentarily flattened by the blast. Sea birds that had been nesting for the night flew up in the air, screeching in terror, then circled in the night sky until they felt it was safe to land again.

The others came running out onto the deck to see what had happened and their eyes were drawn up the track to the road junction where they could see a raging fire coming from where the general store was situated.

"What the hell happened?" Edward cried as he grabbed hold of Bella, just in case the explosion was a diversion and Alec was nearby.

Alice went to say something but she gasped when she saw the look of horror that was spread across Jasper's face. But he wasn't looking at the fire; he was looking at the sand.

Spread across the beach in bold letters that no-one had noticed until their outline was illuminated by the flash, was a message to Jasper from Alec, and the written words confirmed what he dreaded the most. As the words and their meaning sunk home, a gut wrenching howl issued from the pit of Jasper's stomach.

I WAS THERE FIRST - ALICE IS MINE

And he knew then that Alec was the vampire who had changed her and had taken her virginity, but he also knew for certain that very soon either he or Alec would be dead, because this planet wasn't big enough for both of them.

* * *

Jasper and Edward jumped off the deck onto the beach and walked across to where Alec had left the message in the sand. Jasper couldn't have given a shit if NBC had a film camera trained on him and his movements were being beamed live to the world; he moved like lightning, decimating the words in seconds, erasing them with his hands and feet causing a tornado of sand to swirl around them.

"I'm going to kill him, Edward. I'll hunt him down and tear him to shreds, then burn each piece one by one. I'll leave his head to last and I'll smash it to a pulp before I toss it on the fire and let it burn slowly on the embers of the rest of his body."

"I'll help you do it, Jasper, but we've got to find him first. Can you tell which way he went?"

"He walked with your mother into the sea; the water would disguise their scent and will be impossible to follow."

"Was he on his own?"

"I don't know, but I can't smell any other vampires in the vicinity, apart from your mother. The others probably stayed under the waves."

"Do you think it's worth looking for him; he's got over an hour's head start?"

"No. He'll have her well-hidden by now. There's no point wasting our energy on a pointless exercise. We'll have to wait until he makes contact."

"Jasper, I want you to be straight with me. Are you prepared to give up Alice for my mother? I'm trying to put myself in your shoes and I honestly don't know whether I could give up Bella, even for my own mother."

"What you've got to remember, my friend, is that he won't kill Alice. If we refuse to cooperate he'll kill Esme without hesitation. Alice is clever; there's a good chance she'll be able to escape. Your mother is not capable of doing that at the moment, so if they are both to survive then Alice would have to go with Alec."

"So you will give her up?"

"Edward, you're forgetting something."

"What?"

"It's not my call."

"What do you mean?"

"Alice is not a possession, like a case full of cash. She'll be the one to decide whether she's prepared to go with him to save your mother, not me. She'll ask my advice I'm sure, but it's totally one hundred percent down to her."

Edward dropped down onto the sand and hugged his knees. "What had he been thinking?" he said to himself. "Of course it was Alice's decision, but if she decided to go with him, would Jasper try and talk her out of it?"

Jasper sat on the sand next to him and put his arm around his shoulders. Either Edward was going to lose his mother or he was going to lose his wife, even if it was hopefully only temporary. For one of them life was never going to be the same again unless they could outwit Alec, and already Jasper had an idea formulating in his head.

They sat for a while on the sand, watching the tide gradually creeping towards them. In the background they could hear sirens from the police and fire trucks attending the scene of the explosion. Overhead a helicopter was hovering and occasionally a search light would sweep across the dunes, illuminating the house in its brilliant white beam.

As Edward was thinking about going back indoors to talk to Bella and Alice, he heard the sound of a vehicle travelling towards them down the track. They both turned at the same time and saw the unmistakeable shape of a squad car heading towards the house.

"Shit!" Jasper exclaimed, and they both sprang to their feet and raced across the beach, jumping in unison onto the high deck in one leap.

"Police!" Edward shouted to the others, then flung a cupboard door open and grabbed a handful of warm packs just in case they needed them.

"All of you go sit in the conservatory; I'll do the talking. Put the TV on and just act normal."

Alice and Bella scurried into the conservatory and flung themselves onto a couple of sofas. Alice pretended to read a magazine and Bella flipped the TV on. Carlisle and Jasper resumed a game of chess they had started the previous evening while Edward waited for the knock on the door which came about a minute later. He counted to ten and then strode along the hallway, taking his hand away from the warm pack at the last minute. As he put his hand on the door handle, a deep voice shouted, "Police!"

Edward opened the door to see two male officers standing on the deck; one had his hand on a gun that was attached to his waistband.

"Good evening officers," Edward said with a smile. "I presume you're here about the explosion?"

"Yes, Sir. Can we come in?"

"Of course, please follow me. My family are through here."

The officers stepped in through the door and followed Edward into the conservatory where everybody looked up from what they were doing and smiled. Edward introduced the family one by one.

"This is my father, Doctor Carlisle Masen. This is my fiancée, Bella Swan, lately of Seattle CSI, and these are my friends Jasper and Alice Whitlock, who have also just moved here from Seattle. My mother is asleep upstairs; she's unwell at the moment and my father gave her a sleeping pill.

The police nodded an acknowledgement to everyone then turned to Edward.

"And you are?"

"Sorry, I'm Doctor Edward Masen of Masen Research."

The police officers' eyebrows went skyward, as Masen Research had a high profile in the area so they knew they were dealing with a well-regarded member of the community.

"We're sorry to trouble you, Doctor Masen, but we were wondering whether you saw anything suspicious this evening; maybe when you were on your way home from work?"

"No, nothing at all. I had no need to stop at the store and I didn't notice anyone hanging around. Did you see anything, Bella?"

"No, darling. Alice and I got home just after you."

"I didn't notice anything either," Jasper added.

"What about you, Sir?" the officer said, directing his question at Carlisle.

"Nope; been here all day with my wife. She's unwell, so I've just been running around after her; hot drinks and foot massages, that sort of thing."

The officers grinned at that remark, but Edward could see their eyes sweeping around the room looking for anything unusual.

"Has the house been damaged at all?"

"We don't think so," Edward replied. The downstairs rooms are protected by the dunes; I haven't checked the windows upstairs yet, but I think we're okay. This house has survived hurricanes in the past so my grandfather knew what he was doing when he built it."

"Are you able to tell us what happened? Carlisle asked.

"No, Sir. We don't know what caused the explosion but my colleagues are suspicious. The store and the apartment above are completely burnt out and we're not able to tell at this point in time whether there was anyone inside."

"That's terrible," Alice said. "The family who run the store are really nice, and it was so handy being so close. I hope they're okay."

"Is there anything else we can help you with?" Edward asked.

"No, Doctor Masen. If you think of anything, just call the precinct."

"Absolutely, but I hope it turns out to be an accident, not a criminal act. I'll show you out."

Edward escorted the officers to the door and opened it for them.

"Goodnight," he said and watched them as they walked slowly towards their car. As they passed the Volvo they noticed that the window was smashed.

"What happened here? Was this because of the explosion?"

"No. My fiancée found her car vandalised in the parking lot when she left work this evening."

"Anything stolen?"

"No, just the smashed window; we didn't bother reporting it to the police. I'll get it fixed tomorrow."

"Okay. Goodnight Doctor Masen."

* * *

Edward slowly shut the door as the police car disappeared from view. As he turned to head back to the conservatory, Alice was standing in the hall behind him and she beckoned him to follow her into the study. She closed the door behind them and gestured Edward to sit down.

Edward's hands were shaking; this was crunch time. He guessed Alice was going to tell him whether or not she was prepared to be a bartering piece in Alec's game and Edward wasn't prepared to respond coherently if she said no. He couldn't look her in the eye, so his gaze was fixed on the patterns in the old-fashioned rug that covered most of the study's floor.

Alice gripped hold of his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Edward, look at me."

Edward slowly allowed his eyes to travel up from the floor until they were held by Alice's piercing stare.

"I'm not going to allow your mother to die because of me, Edward. If it comes to it, I'll go with Alec and behave myself until either Jasper or I kill him or I can escape."

"Alice, you can't risk it. He'll do terrible things to you. I couldn't allow Bella to go through that and I'm sure my mother, given the choice, would support me."

"Edward, Alec was the one who changed me. I've never told Jasper this before but now he's guessed. I remember Alec taking me from the hospital and biting me. When I was unconscious he raped me."

"How do you know he did that if you were unconscious?"

"I was found by the hospital staff in the grounds; they disturbed Alec and he fled."

Alice raised her hand up to stop Edward interrupting as she guessed he was going to ask her how she knew that as well."

"The staff took me back to the ward and tied me to the bed with metal chains as I was thrashing about wildly because of the venom. When I began to wake up I heard my father and the doctors talking over me. My father believed I was possessed by the devil and wanted me killed. After they left, I overheard a nurse telling a doctor that the devil had snatched me from the ward and they had seen him raping me before jumping twenty feet over the hospital wall."

"They thought Alec was the devil?"

"My father always believed I was possessed by the devil because I could see the future. The hospital where I was incarcerated was funded by his church and most of the staff were religious maniacs."

Alice put her head in her hands as memories of the tortuous five years she spent at the institution came back to her. She knew if Alec hadn't bitten her she wouldn't have survived much longer because of all the drugs they were pouring into her, but now the events of over a hundred years ago were threatening to tear her life apart and affect the people she loved the most.

"What happened then?" Edward asked.

"As I lay in the bed I realised my body had changed and I could feel the burn in my throat, but didn't know what it was. I could hear the nurse and the doctor talking, but they were at the far end of the ward. I could see what was written on the notes he was holding and it said that priests were coming in that day to exorcise me of evil spirits. I knew I had to get away immediately or they'd kill me, not knowing of course that was impossible now. When the doctor left the room I pulled the chains away from the bed and sat up. The nurse raised the alarm and ran across to restrain me, but I pushed her away and she flew across the room and smashed against the back wall. I didn't wait to see whether she was dead; I ripped the bars off the window and jumped out. Luckily my desire to escape was stronger than my desire to feed or I probably would have attacked the nurse there and then. I jumped over the wall and ran and ran until Tanya found me in Alaska months later."

"How long was it before you met Jasper?"

"It was a few years after that. Tanya had taken me under her wing because I was feral when she found me. She taught me how to live again and to blend in with society. When I was ready to go out on my own she told me to visit Garret's coven in New York to see if I was happier in the city rather than in an isolated part of Alaska. I'd only been there a few days when I picked up Jasper's scent and had to find him."

"Did Jasper realise you weren't a virgin when…you know, when you.."

"Yes, but he was too much of a gentleman to say anything to me. He just inferred I'd obviously had previous boyfriends, and I didn't deny it. But, Edward, that was when it actually hit me that Alec had actually done that to me. I didn't believe the nurse when she told the doctor; I just thought she was making the story sound more dramatic than it was to impress him."

"How can you think of going back to Alec when he did that to you?"

"Don't you understand, Edward? It's because he's already done it to me. Jasper realises this now; whether he's done it once or a hundred times doesn't make it any worse as far as Jasper's concerned. Jasper is going to kill him anyway; I know he will, I've seen it. As soon as I walked in the house tonight I had a vision of Alec burning and Jasper and I standing together watching the fire."

"Did you really? Are you sure you're not saying this to make Jasper, dad and me feel better about this?"

"No, absolutely not. I don't know how he's going to do it, but the battle will be at night and I know that Alec will die and Jasper and I will be together again, but I don't know when or where. It could be tonight, it could be next year or a hundred years from now."

Edward's mind was in turmoil. This time yesterday they were all living a fairly settled life in leafy Connecticut. Okay, it wasn't perfect; Bella was upset that she was cut off from her family and friends, but at least they could look ahead to a long future together. Now there was no doubt they were facing a dangerous situation and if Alec came back with several vampires supporting him, it could be lethal. Even though he wanted to believe Alice's vision, he knew that nothing was cast in stone and the future could change.

He looked hard into Alice's eyes. There was a fierce determination there to see this through and he had to respect her decision. Jasper was right; if Alice didn't agree to a swop, his mother's life would be forfeit and he knew his father wouldn't tolerate surviving without her for long.

"Alice, if you do this, my father and I will never be able to repay you, and Jasper as well. A few months ago you didn't know us and now you're willing to go with this man, this vampire, to save my mother."

"I don't need repaying, Edward. I realised not long ago that what was missing from my life was being part of a family. You and Bella and your parents are my family now so I'm doing this to protect them."

Edward stood up and gently pulled her out of her chair and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.

"Alice, you're the sister I always wanted but never had. Thank you so much."

* * *

The morning sun had just appeared above the horizon making the frost on the conservatory windows glisten. It was a bright winter's morning in Connecticut but there was no sunshine in the hearts of the five vampires who had waited all night for Alec to make contact.

Carlisle and Jasper had given up on their chess game; neither of them could concentrate as Carlisle was thinking constantly about what Esme was going through and Jasper was trying to imagine what Alice's thoughts were.

Bella had the TV on but with the sound turned right down. They had been watching the local news all night and were sorry to hear that Mrs. Patel and her daughter-in-law had been killed in the blast. Luckily the younger woman's husband and their two children had been at a school event when it happened but it was still a dreadful tragedy. The Fire Chief said that they thought it was a gas explosion but were reserving judgement until the forensic teams had sifted through the wreckage.

Edward stood up and stretched, even though he didn't need to.

"I'm going for a shower. I won't be long."

As he left the conservatory, the telephone in the study rang and Edward dived for it.

"Hello."

"Hello Doctor Masen, I'm sorry to trouble you at home."

"Oh, Hello Jane."

"Are you alright, Doctor Masen?"

"Yes, Jane, I'm fine."

"How is your mother?"

Edward gasped, wondering how Jane knew what was going on, but then remembered he had told Ben she was unwell.

"A lot better thank you. Is there a problem, Jane?"

"No, everything here is fine. I've got a message for you."

"Who from?"

"Someone called Alec. He was insistent I passed it on to you straight away."

Edward nearly choked, but managed to spit out a response.

"What was the message, Jane?"

"He told me to write it down, word for word, so here goes!"

 _'_ _The vintage model is in good working order. Tell Jasper I'm willing to do the swop for his model and I'll pick it up tonight from the house. Please make sure it's ready for collection as I won't have time to stop. If you're not there I'll sell the vintage one tomorrow; I have one or two interested buyers already.'_

"Does that make sense, Doctor Masen."

"Yes, Jane. Perfect sense. Jasper's wife has been after a classic Porsche for ages, and Alec is selling one. They're doing a straight swop."

"Oh, right. Is that why he called the Lab, so Jasper's wife wouldn't hear the conversation?"

"Yes, I told him to do that. I forgot to let you know Alec was calling today. Did he say anything else?"

"Yes, he wanted your cell number but I wouldn't give it to him without speaking to you first. He said he would call back later for it. Is it okay to pass it on?"

"Yes, that's fine. Is there anything else?"

"No, Doctor Masen. Will you be in at all today?"

"I don't think so, but I'll be on my cell if you need anything."

"Very good, Doctor Masen. I hope your mother recovers well."

"Thank you, Jane. Goodbye."

Edward put the phone down and walked slowly into the conservatory. He didn't need to repeat the conversation; vampire ears heard every word that was said. Privacy in a vampire home was very difficult.

"So, what do we do?"

Jasper stood up and pulled his cell from his pocket.

"We get ready to hand Alice over tonight. In the meantime I have a few calls to make, so if you'll excuse me, I need to be on my own.

Edward stood out of the way and let Jasper pass. Jasper walked up the hallway and out through the main door, closing it behind him. Edward could hear the crunch of the gravel driveway under his feet, then the opening and closing of the Cherokee's door.

But Jasper didn't start the engine; he flipped his phone open and searched for a name in his memory then pressed the green icon. The call was answered after three rings.

A dark brown voice drawled down the phone.

"Hey, Jasper. What is it, buddy?"

Jasper drew a deep breath even though he didn't need it and fought to control his emotions before speaking in a voice trembling with fury.

"My family's in trouble, old friend; we need your help….."

* * *

 **Poor Jasper and Alice. What a dilemma. Jasper was right though, if they don't cooperate, they'll never see Esme again. So the swap will take place tonight - but how are they going to do it? It will definitely be dangerous for both sides. And who is Jasper calling?**

 **All will be revealed in the next chapter. See you then.**

 **Joan x**


	13. Chapter 13

**Poor Jasper; he must be beside himself with a combination of rage and worry. He's clever though, and will be thinking about how he can outwit Alec when they come to do the swop (sorry, swap).**

 **Louis has been causing trouble as well, so let's see what he has been getting up to first before we go back to the beach house.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Poker**

* * *

Louis was watching the local news with a satisfied smirk on his face. Beavis and Butthead had done well this time he thought as he listened to the Fire Chief reporting that the bodies of two women had been found in the ruins of a building that had exploded during the night.

"Those bitches won't be troubling us anymore," he said to Frank, who was sitting on the opposite side of the desk, puffing on one of Louis' celebratory cigars.

"You're right, boss. They're history now."

"This better look like an accident though, or I'll kick their asses again."

"It will, boss. Beavis told me they knocked the girls out with chloroform then broke a gas pipe. When the fumes hit a lit candle upstairs, the place went up like the 4th of July."

Louis chuckled to himself and hit the mute button on the TV, then immediately switched the sound back on again as the faces of the victims appeared.

"What the…..!"

On the screen were pictures of a mother and daughter, both obviously of Asian heritage; one aged about fifty, the other about thirty. The husband of the younger woman was also shown standing by the ruins being comforted by a member of the fire crew, but he was doubled over in grief.

Louis stood up from his chair and looked at Frank, who was staring at the TV with wide eyes.

"What the fuck have you done, Frank?"

"Boss, I'm sorry. The Volvo's Satnav said this place was 'home', so I gave the address to the boys and told them to get on with it."

"Did you bother giving them a description of the girls you saw in the car?"

"No, Boss. I just told them to go there and burn them, like you said."

"Jesus Christ, Frank. We've just roasted two women for nothing. God help me! I'm dealing with a bunch of fucking morons."

Frank stood up ready to make a run for it if Louis reached for his gun, but Louis just yelled at his minder who looked like a terrified deer looking into the eyes of a leopard, even though Frank was twice the size of Louis and had a gun in a shoulder holster.

"Get the fuck out of my office before I lose my shit, and stay away from me until I call you!"

Frank didn't need telling twice; he was out the door in seconds. As he stood in the corridor, visibly shaking and wondering what to do next, he heard Beavis and Butthead playing pool in the games room next door. He strode in and grabbed the cue out of Beavis's hand and flung it across the room.

"Get the fuck out of here you two and don't come back."

"Why? What have we done now?"

"You've just murdered two innocent women instead of our targets. Get out the building or Louis might blow your brains out for atonement if he catches sight of you in the next few hours."

Butthead looked at Beavis then dropped his cue on the table.

"Let's go," he said, and as they sprinted out the door, Frank overheard Beavis say to Butthead,

"What's 'atonement'?"

* * *

Edward took hold of Bella's hand and gently pulled her out of her chair.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Just come with me," Edward whispered.

They walked up the hallway hand in hand and Edward picked his father's keys off the shelf.

"Dad, are you coming."

Edward's tone of voice made Carlisle realise that it wasn't a question but a command.

"Errrr, yes son."

Carlisle turned off the computer screen, grabbed his jacket and followed Edward and Bella out the door.

"What's going on?" he whispered to Bella, but she shrugged her shoulders as she hadn't got a clue what was happening.

Edward walked over to the driver's side of Carlisle's car and got in. Bella sat next to him in the passenger seat and Carlisle slid onto the back seat and closed the door.

"Where are we going, Edward?"

"Anywhere, dad. We're just giving Jasper and Alice some alone time. They need to talk this through without us listening in to their conversation. They can't properly make their minds up whether they're doing the right thing with us around. And, if Alice does decide to go with Alec, they need to be able to say goodbye to each other without an audience in the house."

Bella leaned over to Edward and kissed him on the cheek.

"That's for being so thoughtful."

Carlisle leaned forward and patted his son on the shoulder.

"Do you think they'll be alright on their own, Edward?" Carlisle asked. I mean what if Alec and the other two vampires turn up when we're away?"

"They won't. Alice is convinced they're going to come at night, so as long as we get back before it gets dark they'll be fine."

"Where shall we go then?" he asked.

"The boat?" Edward suggested. "I've got the keys here."

"Okay, let's go there for a couple of hours," Carlisle agreed.

Edward started the car and set off up the track. As they got to the junction with the highway, he slowed the car so they could look at the remains of the local store. The burnt out skeleton of the only shop along this coastal road was standing forlornly on its own, but bits of the building and its stock were strewn all over the road and surrounding scrubland; testament to the ferocity of the explosion. The Fire Trucks had gone, but there was still a police presence on the scene and Bella could see forensic officers in white overalls working amongst the rubble, looking for clues as to what caused the explosion.

"What a mess; they wouldn't have stood a chance," Carlisle commented.

"How come they didn't smell the fumes?" Bella mused. "If they'd been asleep I could understand it; but the shop would've been open for business at that time and would probably had customers. It does seem strange."

Edward put his foot on the gas and pulled away, heading for where their boat was docked. He guessed the marina would be quiet at the moment as not many people took their boats out in December, especially on a weekday, so they should be undisturbed.

Bella put the car radio on and tuned in to a local station. They were still discussing the explosion, which was probably the most newsworthy event that had happened in the area for many years. The Fire Chief confirmed there had been a gas leak, but they weren't convinced it was an accident as there were indications there may have been an intruder. There was no money in the cash register, plus the shop door, which was found intact on the opposite side of the road, had the 'closed' sign facing outwards.

"Looks like someone was trying to cover up a robbery," Carlisle said.

"Or a murder," Bella speculated, "but who would want to murder those nice ladies?"

"Maybe you and Alice could…..," Edward started to say, but then he realised if Alice disappeared with Alec, CSI would not be in business any more.

Bella squeezed his arm reassuringly. "Don't think like that. Alice is sure Jasper will get the better of Alec and we'll be back at work really soon."

About twenty minutes later they arrived at the marina. Edward parked in the deserted lot that was now being battered by a strong wind that had picked up since the early hours. They hurried along the wooden jetty to where their boat was moored and Carlisle jumped onto the deck first. He put his arms out to help Bella climb over the side as it was bobbing up and down quite violently, but Bella still slipped on the shiny surface as her shoes had no grip on the soles. Even though it was a bright day, the swell in the harbour was choppy and the waves out to sea were gigantic, so only very experienced or foolhardy sailors, or vampires, would risk going out in such weather.

Edward handed Carlisle the boat keys and he unlocked the cabin door then climbed down half a dozen steps to where there was a compact seating area, brightly decorated in blues and yellows and completely protected from the elements. Bella and Edward followed Carlisle down the steps, closing the watertight door behind them which cut out the noise of the wind and the screeching seabirds. After removing their jackets, they sat on the cushioned benches, listening to the muffled sounds outside and wondered what to do next.

"I suppose we could clean the boat," Carlisle suggested. "My new one is arriving in two weeks and this one is going as part payment."

"What's the new one going to be called?" Bella asked.

"I haven't decided yet. What do you think?"

"I don't know; I can't think of anything obvious."

As they sat there suggesting suitable names to kill time, a cell phone rang and all three of them jumped as it was the sound they had all been dreading.

"It's mine!" Bella exclaimed when she recognised the tune, and they all relaxed as it was obviously not Alec.

Bella looked at who was calling; it was Rosalie, so she flipped it open.

"Hi, Rosalie, how are you?"

"Hi, Bella, I'm fine. I hadn't heard from you for so long so I thought I'd call. Is it convenient for you to talk?"

Bella rolled her eyes. Actually now was not a convenient time, but at least it would be a distraction.

"Yes, fire away. How are you and Emmett getting on?"

"Great! I know it's only been a few months, but I think he's going to propose."

"My God! That was quick work. What makes you think that?"

"Well, I was pretending to be asleep a few days ago…"

"Oh, I see," Bella commented drily, then girly-giggled.

"Yes, Bella, he stays over – practically all the time," Rosalie responded patronisingly in a sing-song voice.

"Sorry, carry on."

"Right, I was pretending to be asleep and I saw Emmett putting one of my rings on his finger, almost like he was trying to guess what size it is."

"Oooooh! So what are you going to say if he asks you."

"'Yes' of course, Bella. I can't believe I held him off for so long; he's perfect for me."

"I'm so pleased, Rosalie. When do you think he's going to do it?"

"He's asked me to take a few days off in the week before Christmas and I know he's got plane tickets, because he asked me if I'm okay flying."

"Where do you think he's planning to take you?"

"Well, we were watching Sleepless in Seattle the other night, and I was crying as usual when Sam and Annie finally meet on top of the Empire State building. That's my guess."

"Ooooo! That would be very romantic, especially at night. Let me know, Rosalie."

"Will do. Anyway, Bella, has that man of yours proposed to you yet?"

Bella saw Edward's eyes roll backwards in his head. Carlisle's eyes widened then he elbowed his son playfully in the ribs. They could hear both sides of the conversation, even though Bella was holding the phone tightly to her ear.

"Not yet, Rosalie, but you'll be one of the first to know if he does."

"Is he there?"

"Yes, he's sitting next to me."

"Ooops!"

"Don't worry, he can't hear." Bella grinned as she said that.

"When am I going to see you again, Bella? I really miss our chats about men and stuff."

"I don't know. I'm really busy here at the moment. I'll come and see you when I visit my dad and Sue."

"Okay, I won't push you, but don't be surprised if I turn up on your doorstep one day with a bag of donuts."

"Alright, Rosalie, but give me some warning. Edward keeps threatening to take me away on his dad's boat, so call me first."

"Will do. Anyway, I'd better go; I'm at work, so shouldn't be calling. Love you, Bella."

"Love you too, Rosalie. Bye."

Edward crossed to the other side of the seating area and put his arm around Bella as she couldn't disguise the look of sadness that was on her face.

"You okay?"

Bella nodded. "I'll be okay, just give me a moment."

Bella snuggled close to Edward and buried her face in his jacket. She wasn't crying, but her face was crumbling at the thought of not being able to see her friends again. Edward put both arms around her and held her close while she regained her composure.

Carlisle stood up and started opening cupboards and drawers, checking whether he needed to take anything home with him that wasn't going with the boat when it was sold. When he couldn't find anything to do he unlocked the cabin door.

"I'm going for a walk for half an hour. If you need me back here quickly, just call my cell. See you later you two," then he hurried through the door slamming it shut.

Edward kissed Bella on top of her head. He wasn't going to take this opportunity to have a romantic moment with her; he guessed she wouldn't be in the mood and frankly he wasn't either. He couldn't contemplate having any sort of enjoyment today when Jasper and Alice and his father were going through so much pain. He was in pain too, but he knew the difference between losing his mother, whom he loved dearly, and losing Bella, who was the other half of himself. If Bella was taken from him or she died he wouldn't want to go on living, so he guessed that was what Carlisle and Jasper were contemplating right now.

Bella un-buried her face from his chest and wiped her eyes, even though there were no tears there.

"What do you think is going to happen tonight, Edward? I didn't want to say anything in front of your father, but do you think there's going to be a fight?"

"I don't know to be honest. I'm trying to think how I would do the exchange if I was Alec. He can't just walk up to the house, hand in hand with my mother, and ask to take Alice away with him. He knows we would just grab her and kill him. He must have some sort of help or an elaborate plan to outwit us."

"Jasper said there were other vampires with him when he picked up his scent the first time. He'll surely bring them with him."

"That's what I'm presuming will happen. Alec and his cronies will come to the house with my mother and there'll be a quick swop, but with the speed vampires move it will be over in a blink of an eye."

"There'll have to be an element of trust though; we could let Alice go and he could still have hold of Esme."

"I know and that's what's worrying me. The only ace we have up our sleeve is that Jasper is vastly experienced in this sort of thing and I would guess nothing will get past him; he's seen it all before. I just hope he can hold it together when he sees Alec for the first time though; he's itching to burn him."

"I'm frightened, Edward. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't want to get hurt either, Bella, as that will leave you unprotected, but I've got to try and protect mom and dad as well. But if I think you're in danger I _will_ protect you first, I promise you that."

"And I'll protect you. I might be just a girl, but I'm a feisty girl and an even feistier vampire."

"I know you are, and you're not 'just a girl'. You may be physically weaker than a male vampire, but you have other strengths; in fact you are a much stronger person than me in most respects."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No, I'm not. Just look what you've done in your life. You were determined to succeed while you were at school; you left a small-town home to go to university in a big city and you chose a tough and potentially dangerous career in a predominantly male environment. My life has been tame compared to yours. You give me strength, Bella. I couldn't have coped with all this without you.

Edward's hand caressed her face before he kissed her gently on the lips.

"I hope you haven't forgotten that I've proposed to you, twice!"

"No, I haven't, but I didn't want to say anything in front of your father; not now."

Edward kissed her again.

"I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you more," she replied as she kissed him back.

As their kissing became more passionate, Edward's phone vibrated in his pocket. He drew away quickly from Bella and looked who was calling.

"Withheld number," he hissed and flipped it open.

"Masen!"

"I suppose you've guessed who this is?"

"Yes, you fucking bastard. If you've hurt one hair on my mother's head, I'll kill you."

"Your mother's fine; a bit confused, but isn't she always?"

"Yes, she is. She needs looking after."

"We've noticed; she's a bit of a handful isn't she? I suppose that makes you and your father even more anxious to have her home."

"Obviously, but I'm not in the mood for small-talk, Alec. Just say what you've got to say. When are you bringing my mother back?"

"I'll be at your house at six-thirty. I'll be on the beach with three friends and your mother. Jasper and your father will come out of the house with Alice and we'll do the swap."

"No way; that makes four against three, not counting my mother."

"That's how it's going to be, or it's no deal."

Edward hesitated for a moment then spat out…

"Okay, no deal. Fuck you!"

Edward flipped the phone shut and sat down heavily next to Bella. His hands were shaking with fury and Bella had to grab hold of them to still them.

"What have I done, Bella? Have I just signed my mother's death warrant?"

"You did the right thing, Edward. Alec thinks he has the upper hand, but he hasn't. He's just as desperate to have Alice as you are to get your mother back. This is a game of poker; you've just held your nerve."

Several long minutes ticked by. Edward's head was in his hands and he was practically tearing his hair out when his cell rang again.

"What, fucker!"

"Alright, the girl can come out too, but that's it."

"No way, Alec. It's me and my father with Jasper and Alice or nothing. My family will back me on this."

Alec hesitated for a moment and as Edward waited, he grasped Bella's hand for support.

"Alright, the girl can stay in the house, but if I see sight or sound of any other vampires on the beach, your mother is dead; do you hear me?"

"I hear you. But tell me something, you fucking prick, what do you think you're going to get out of this? You're nothing but a fucked-up rapist; Alice will never give herself willingly to you."

"I don't care, Edward Masen. I'll have her, Jasper won't; that's all I care about. Three hours; not a minute more or a minute less, or your mother is history."

The line went dead and Edward stared at his cell, knowing that communication was over and now he had to tell Jasper what had happened.

"What time is it?" he muttered, even though it was showing clearly on his phone.

"It's three-thirty. It'll be dark when he turns up, Edward."

"I know; not that it makes any difference. I'll call Jasper now. Can you find my dad and let him know what's happened. We need to go home."

Bella let herself out of the cabin as Edward called Jasper. He answered after the first ring.

"I presume he's been in contact."

"Yes."

"When and where?"

"Six-thirty on the beach."

Edward heard him say "Shit."

"Are you okay, Jasper?"

"Don't be fucking stupid; of course I'm not okay. I didn't think he'd come so soon."

"Does it make a difference?"

Jasper hesitated before replying.

"No, not really. When will you be back, Edward?"

"In about an hour. I'll let you know what the bastard said when I get there."

Edward heard Jasper grunt then the line went dead.

* * *

As Bella gingerly climbed off the boat, she could see Carlisle sitting on a bench outside the marina's café that was closed for the winter. The wind was blowing a gale now and every so often spray from the waves would drench the walkway and Bella had to jump out of the way to avoid getting soaked. Carlisle was staring out to sea, but he heard Bella approaching and stood up.

"Is it time to go back?" he shouted over the noise of the wind and the waves.

"Yes," Bella called back as she was still on the jetty. "Edward has heard from Alec. He'll be at the house at six-thirty.

Carlisle nodded an acknowledgement then sat down again and patted the bench next to him.

"Sit with me for a minute, Bella. I want to talk to you."

Bella walked through the maze of benches and tables that were screwed to the ground and sat beside Carlisle, wondering what he was going to say to her.

Carlisle turned to face her and got hold of both her hands.

"Bella, I want you and Edward and Jasper and Alice to go. Get out of here. Get away from Alec and save yourselves."

"Why, Carlisle? There's a good chance we can save Alice _and_ Esme."

"But there's a good chance all of us might die if there's a fight."

Carlisle shook his head in despair as he was imagining the worst-case scenario, which was all of them being ripped to shreds on the beach, or, worse still, Edward being ripped to shreds on the beach in front of him.

"I can't risk you and Edward being caught up in this. I know Edward won't let Jasper face this alone; he'll fight to save his mother and Alice and I can't bear the thought of losing him."

"That might not happen, Carlisle. Don't give in to this, we've got to stand together."

Bella was pleading with him but Carlisle was determined.

"Look at the situation from my point of view, Bella. I hoped Esme would recover fully when I agreed for her to be changed, but that's never going to happen. She will always be frail and vulnerable and I'll never be able to take her out in company. She might as well have never left the nursing home. Then there's me. I've had a good and productive life and I should be dead by now anyway so it's no loss. I just want the four of you to disappear and live long and happy lives, somewhere where Alec can't find you."

"We can't do that, Carlisle. I'm not prepared to disappear and never see my father again and Edward wouldn't want to walk away from the lab and his research just like that. But, more importantly, if Alec lost out this time, he would make it his mission to scour the earth to find Alice again, and he would find her eventually. We would be constantly looking over our shoulders for him, so we've got to finish this now."

"But that means killing Alec."

"Yes. Alice has foreseen that Jasper will kill him, which is why she's willing to be handed over. She knows that everything will be okay in the end."

"Alice told you that?"

"Yes, and I trust her and you must trust her too. We can't just give up."

Bella stood up and held out her hand to him.

"Come on, Carlisle, Edward will be worried. Let's go home and get this finished, once and for all."

* * *

The clock clicked over another minute, but each minute seemed like a lifetime to the five vampires who were watching and waiting for the hand to reach the half hour. Carlisle was sitting in Esme's place on the sofa as though being there made him feel closer to his absent wife. Edward was on the other sofa with his arms around Bella in a tight hug. Jasper and Alice were standing together, looking up and down the empty beach, waiting for signs of movement on the sand. The wind had dropped considerably in the last hour and the sea was calm again after the storm earlier in the day but there was no moon to illuminate the beach tonight, only the light filtering from the house made an impact on the blackness, but vampire eyes could see anything that moved up to half a mile away so they would have plenty of notice of Alec's arrival.

Another minute ticked by. Only two more minutes more before it reached half-past the hour if their clock was correct. Carlisle stood up and started pacing up and down and Bella buried her face into Edward's neck. Jasper gathered Alice up in his arms and held her tightly, not wishing the hand to move any further, but desperate to get this over with. Only Molly was blissfully unaware of the drama that was about to unfold and was snoring contentedly next to Edward.

Another minute ticked by and as the hand hovered over the half hour mark, the five vampires finally saw movement in the distance. From the northern end of the beach, five figures appeared out of the gloom and as they got closer to the house the identity of the vampire leading the group was clear to Jasper and Alice, who were the only ones who had laid eyes on him before.

Alec was followed by a stocky male vampire who was carrying something that looked like a metal case. Behind them were two more vampires, a tall male and an even taller female, who were either side of Esme. From the way Esme was shuffling, bare-footed in the sand with her head lolling forward, it was obvious these two were holding her upright.

Carlisle let out a cry of anguish when he saw the state Esme was in but he was relieved to have confirmation that she was still alive. As they made their way from the conservatory onto the deck, Edward had to restrain Carlisle from rushing onto the beach by grabbing hold of his arm.

"Don't dad," he whispered, "or they'll have two hostages to bargain with and we'll have no chance of getting mom back."

Alec came closer to the deck but he was still a fair distance away when he stopped. The other three stopped also and stood behind Alec as they waited for Jasper, Alice, Edward and Carlisle to join them on the beach. Bella stayed on the deck, praying that Edward would survive the exchange and she wouldn't have to run for her life if anything happened to him, which is what Edward had instructed her to do.

As the two groups of vampires stood facing each other, separated by about a hundred yards of sand, the vampire behind Alec lifted the metal case he was carrying above Esme's head and tipped the liquid contents all over her. Instantly, the strong smell of gasoline hit their noses and they recoiled in horror when they realised that Alec was preparing to burn Esme alive in front of them if he didn't get what he wanted. As they struggled to control their revulsion, the female vampire took a lighter out of her pocket and flicked it on, waving it near to Esme to taunt them.

Alec laughed at their shocked faces. He knew by their expressions that he had won the game and he was going to enjoy every second of Jasper's discomfiture. He had presumed Jasper would try and outwit him or set a trap, which is what he would have done, but it was obvious there was no ambush planned here as the anguish in the faces of the losers in front of him couldn't be faked. They knew there was nothing they could do and he was going to walk away from the beach with the prize he'd been seeking ever since he smelled Alice's scent in Alaska and realised who she was.

He grabbed hold of Esme's arm and yanked her forward, grabbing the now extinguished lighter from the female at the same time. His vampires walked backwards so they were about twenty feet behind him, then they crouched in readiness to defend Alec if necessary. It was too much for Esme and she collapsed on the ground and curled up in a tight ball with her arms over her head while calling out her husband's name.

Alec stood astride her and with the lighter in his hand he shouted his orders to the stunned family.

"Alice, walk forward on your own and keep walking until you reach half-way. From there on, I will walk back one step away from Esme for every step you walk towards me. If _any_ of your family move an inch, I will toss the lighter straight onto Esme's back and its goodbye momma. Do you understand?"

None of them spoke to acknowledge Alec's demands as they were dumbstruck. Edward was racking his brains trying to think of a way to save both Alice and his mother, but Alec had been too clever for them. Dousing his mother in gasoline prevented any sort of retaliation while she was in striking distance and he knew Alec wouldn't hesitate to murder his mother, knowing he could always come back for Alice at a later date.

Alice kissed Jasper on the lips then turned to face her family.

"Don't worry about me, please, I'll be back soon. You know I love you all."

With her head held high and her gaze fixed straight ahead, Alice slowly walked to the half way point and stopped. Alec held the lighter in his outstretched hand, poised ready to ignite the flame, then started walking backwards, his eyes closely watching the other vampires who were crouched, ready to spring towards Esme as soon as it was safe. Alice carried on walking and when she passed Esme, her hands clenched together in defiance as she drew nearer to the vampire who was taking her away from the love of her life.

The gap had widened another fifty yards and then everything happened quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Alec grabbed hold of Alice and violently forced her to the ground as Carlisle rushed forward and threw himself on top of Esme, shielding her from Alec's lighter. Immediately the stocky male vampire sprang forward and tipped gasoline all over Alice while Alec pinned her to the sand with one of his feet. He ignited the flame, holding it high enough so that it wouldn't ignite the fumes, then threw his head back and roared with satisfaction that his plan had worked as his adversaries wouldn't dare approach him while Alice's life hung in the balance.

Edward and Jasper sprung forward and took up a position between Alec and where Carlisle was protecting Esme, and they both crouched ready to attack the vampires once Esme was safe. They had counted on Alec having to defend himself against Alice once the fight started so they could concentrate on overpowering the other three vampires between them, but they hadn't planned for Alice being covered in gasoline.

"Get back to the house," Alec screamed as he stood over Alice, "or I burn her alive. She's mine now; I made her, I fucked her, now I decide whether she lives or dies. No-one else is touching her ever again. She either goes with me or she's dead; it's your call, Jasper Whitlock."

Jasper and Edward were still crouched, ready to attack their opponents, but as Alec was exulting in his triumph over them, taking delight in their agonised faces and with venom already dripping from his mouth in anticipation of what he was going to do to Alice, they unfolded themselves from their fighting stance, stood upright and smiled. Jasper winked at Alice and Alice grinned back at Jasper as she knew from the look on his face what he'd seen.

Even though she was covered in gasoline, and Alec was standing over her with a naked flame in his hand and his boot on her neck, Alice had no doubt that she would be safe, and before this night was over the world would be short of at least one vampire, and that vampire was the one who, until a split second ago, thought himself invincible.

Despite Alec's belief that he had the upper hand, it was Jasper who had been holding the trump card all along, and as Alec looked aghast at what was happening around him, he realised what a fool he had been. As his eyes fixed on the gloating faces of Jasper and Edward, he knew for certain that his death was inevitable.

Despite planning this game down to the finest detail, he hadn't taken into account the presence of the Atlantic Ocean, and that vital oversight meant that he had just lost this particular game of poker.

* * *

 **I think you can guess what's going to happen next, but it's not going to be pretty.**

 **The next chapter will be Jasper's revenge on Alec but it won't be the end of this part of the story. Oh no!**

 **Joan x**


	14. Chapter 14

**If you don't like violence, skip over some of the following paragraphs. Jasper is a very p-d off vampire, and Alec is going to get the rough end of his anger, so you can guess what's coming.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Payback**

* * *

"Not so fast, Alec," said a voice with a deep, rich southern accent, and before he had time to react, the lighter was torn from his hand.

Alec whipped round and saw Garrett standing directly behind him, but he was not on his own, as countless other vampires were emerging from the waves and speeding across the sand towards him. Alec looked around frantically for his coven but they had deserted him in a flash as soon as they saw what was happening, disappearing into the dark landscape in fear for their lives. Alec attempted to follow them, but was stopped by two huge vampires who grabbed him before he could make it to the dunes.

Garrett had been the first to stealthily creep out of the sea where he had been watching the confrontation from a safe distance. Whilst Alec was revelling in his victory over Jasper and not paying attention to what was happening behind him, an army of vampires had emerged from the water where they had been hiding; waiting for the moment to rush Alec and his cronies once Esme was safe. Every member of the New York coven had come to Jasper's aid; not just to rescue Esme and Alice, but also to exact revenge on Alec who was an infamous murderer and rapist, not just of humans, but of their own kind too.

Alec could plainly see in Garrett's eyes the hatred and utter revulsion he had for him and he knew his life was over. He wasn't going to walk away from this beach, but at least he had the satisfaction of knowing he had already set plans in motion to totally destroy Jasper's coven in order to stop any of them trying to rescue Alice in the future. Whether or not he won the game tonight, his plan was to obliterate the Masens and the Whitlocks and his demise was not going to alter that.

As the certainty of his impending and agonising death lodged itself in his mind and fear and terror started to kick in, his mouth twisted in rage and fury. As he struggled to loosen the grip his captors had on his arms, he drew his head back and spat a mouthful of venom straight at Jasper's face.

Jasper recoiled from the attack, but not quick enough to stop the venom from landing on his chest. He brushed it away in disgust then faced the vampire who had defiled his wife over a hundred years ago. He had been looking forward to verbally abusing and taunting his captive before he was killed, but Alec beat him to it.

"You think you've won, Jasper Whitlock, but you are _sadly_ mistaken," Alec gloated at his enemy. "You may be relishing your victory tonight, but it will always be in the back of your mind when you're screwing Alice that _I_ was there first and that will never change. So enjoy your second-hand woman while you can, because you won't have that pleasure for much longer. I've already ensured that you and your wretched coven will be on your way to Hell very soon and there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop that happening."

Jasper scoffed at the struggling vampire. He was going to relish sticking the proverbial knife in now, knowing full well that these would be the last words Alec would hear before he died so he wasn't going to hold back.

"Say what you like, Alec, but whatever plan you've concocted in that sick brain of yours, Alice will see it coming and we'll be ready to face it. You see I'm the winner here. I always have been the winner, as I've had Alice's love to keep me warm at night for the past hundred years, and, believe it or not, it's all thanks to you. Think of this, Alec; if you hadn't assaulted her that night, if you'd just concentrated on draining her blood instead of trying to fuck her at the same time, Alice would have died and not been changed into a vampire and I would never have had the extraordinary pleasure of enjoying the love and companionship of this extraordinary woman for the last century."

Alec was screaming and struggling, trying to block out Jasper's words, but Jasper just raised his voice to make sure he heard every taunting syllable.

"You think that biting Alice and raping her when you thought she was dead gives you some sort of victory over me and her, but you're so wrong. You see she has no memory of you at all, physically or mentally. For her, I am her first and only lover. I'm the only man who has ever been inside her while she's conscious. I'm the only man who's experienced the bliss of her venom and I'm the only man who knows what it's like to be truly loved by her. So think of that while you're burning on the pyre that's being prepared for you as we speak, and when you fall into the abyss that's waiting for you, I'll be the one who'll be in paradise making love to _my_ beautiful wife, while you'll be on the lonely road to Hell."

While Alec screamed profanities at him, Jasper turned his back on the slavering monster and walked over to where Bella and Alice were helping Carlisle gently raise Esme from the sand.

"Carlisle, get the girls indoors quickly. I don't want them to see what's going to happen here."

Alice whipped her head around defiantly and stared at Jasper with a murderous look in her eye.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jasper. I want to see him suffer. He was prepared to burn me in front of you so I'm going to have great pleasure watching him burn instead."

Jasper knew there was no point in arguing with her. Alice was determined to see this through to the bitter end and he totally understood that this was closure for her, so he nodded in agreement and turned his attention back to Carlisle.

Esme was on her feet but she was unsteady, so Carlisle picked her up and carried her into the house. Bella followed closely behind as she had no desire to watch a vampire being killed, however despicable he had been. She understood the necessity of the action, as Alec would never have given up pursuing Alice, but she didn't want that vision to be imprinted on her memory forever. Even though she had dealt with the aftermath of many terrible crimes while she was at CSI in Seattle and was no stranger to death, she had seen enough violence for one night and was feeling completely overwhelmed.

Garrett's coven had been busy collecting driftwood while the altercation was taking place between Jasper and Alec. They had piled it up at the edge of the dunes and using the last of the fuel that was in the can, they set light to the bonfire and stood back as the wood started to spit and crackle.

Garrett kicked Alec's feet away from him and two more vampires grabbed his legs and manhandled him towards the blaze. He put up a fight, but with four strong vampires holding a limb each, he had no chance of escaping.

Alec could feel the heat getting closer and started screaming in terror, so Jasper grabbed hold of his enemy's head and with every ounce of strength he could muster, he ripped it from his shoulders then stood to one side as the vampires tossed the rest of Alec's body into the flames. As his twitching limbs and torso were engulfed, Jasper lifted Alec's head in the air so he could see his body being consumed, then with both hands he smashed the head down on the edge of a rock, again and again, until Alec's features were unrecognisable. While he was doing that, every ounce of revenge, hatred and loathing spewed from Jasper's mouth and his eyes blazed with both fury and satisfaction as he wreaked vengeance on his enemy, and Edward saw for the first time what many of Jasper's foes had seen before they died; the terrifying face of a vampire who didn't take prisoners.

When the blaze had reached its full potential, he tossed the pulverised head into the heart of the fire and watched with grim satisfaction as what was left of his enemy's face disintegrated in the inferno. Alice appeared beside him and even though she was still covered in gasoline, they stood with their arms around each other, watching a rainbow of multi-colored sparks caused by the salt on the driftwood, lighting up the night sky like tiny fireworks, and they stood there until the last trace of the vampire who had sought to separate them had disappeared.

The coven had made a wide circle around the fire to prevent any unforeseen rescue attempts, but they had not been required to do anything; their presence being enough to frighten away any foolhardy vampires who may have been watching from a distance. While Edward stood on the outside of the circle, Jasper and Alice went round the inside and thanked every one of them for helping their family. When they had gone full circle, Jasper took off his jacket that was covered with gasoline then went over to Garrett and embraced him.

"I'll forever be in your debt, Garrett. I can't thank you enough for answering my call."

"Don't mention it, Jasper. We go back a long way, old friend. Anyway, I've been looking for a justifiable reason to dispose of Alec ever since we banished him from New York over a hundred years ago. Aro's going to be pissed though; Alec spent a lot of time in Italy and he was one of the favoured few."

"Don't worry about Aro. I'll write and tell him what's happened. Aro believes in the sanctity of marriage for everyone but himself, so hopefully he'll forgive us for barbequing his beloved Alec."

Garrett laughed and slapped Jasper on the back.

"I hope you're right, old friend."

Alice wanted to fling her arms around Garrett and hug him tightly but she was still covered in gasoline, so she kissed him on the cheek instead.

"Thank you, Garrett. I'm finally free and it feels wonderful."

"You're welcome, gorgeous Alice. Jasper's a lucky man to have found you; I've been looking for a soul mate like you for hundreds of years, but I would be happy with half of what you and Jasper have."

Bella had joined Edward on the beach after making sure Esme was okay, and as the vampires wandered past them to make their way back to New York, she was astounded at the numbers who had come to help and how many of them had golden eyes like her family. She only counted about six whose eyes were blood red like Aro's and it suddenly dawned on her that her family were not as unusual as she had first thought as there were obviously many other vampires who survived on animal blood alone.

When Jasper had told her that Garrett's coven was providing a regular supply of blood for Esme, she imagined about ten vampires living together in secret somewhere in one of the suburbs. As they passed her by, acknowledging her thanks and returning the high fives from Edward, she lost count at fifty and her guess would be at least seventy had been hiding in the sea. Among them were about twenty females, which was more than she was expecting, given that Jasper had told Edward that males outnumbered females five to one. She guessed that female vampires, like her, would probably more likely to be with partners rather than choose to live as solitary nomads, which could explain the anomaly.

As the last of the vampires disappeared from view, heading south to return to New York, the beach was eerily quiet with only the gentle sound of the rushing waves and the occasional snap and crackle from the fire breaking the silence. Death and destruction had come to this idyllic part of Connecticut, but if a stranger had been wandering along the isolated beach for a late-evening stroll, only the dying embers of the funeral pyre was evidence that a supernatural battle had taken place on this peaceful stretch of coastline and the neighbouring human population would remain blissfully ignorant of the fact that in the picturesque wooden house that sat on the edge of the beach, six vampires were recovering from an horrific experience and now their only wish was to get on with their lives in peace and quiet.

* * *

Bella and Edward were naked, lying in each other's arms on their bed. After making sure that Esme was clean and comfortable, they had gone to their room and made love, passionately but silently. They both knew how close they had come to oblivion and they had clung to each other afterwards, both of them trying to imagine ever being capable of leaving each other's side again.

Edward could tell that Bella was suffering. Delayed shock had hit her hard and he could sense that she was reliving the horror of what had happened only a few hours ago. He was also very shaken and was aghast at the violence he had witnessed. Tonight he had seen another side of Jasper that he truly didn't want to see again.

He kissed Bella on her forehead and brushed her hair away from her face, then kissed her closed eyelids.

"Try and forget about it, Bella. He's gone; he won't hurt this family ever again."

Bella shook her head and opened her eyes.

"I know he won't, Edward, but I just can't do this anymore."

Edward raised himself up on his elbow and he could see the pain in her face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm not prepared to live like this any longer. I'm living a lie every day of my life. I miss my family and my friends, I have to be on guard the whole time in case someone spots that 'I'm different' and now I've had another near-death experience. It's just too much."

Edward was at a loss what to say. If he was given the choice he would go back to being a human again in the blink of an eye, but that was not an option for either of them; this was how life was going to be from now on.

"I wish I could turn the clock back, Bella, but I can't. It will get better, I promise you."

Bella sat up in bed, swung her legs out and stood up, then started pacing around the room.

"I know we had no choice, Edward, but tell me something, _why_ do we have to obey Aro's rules? He lives in fucking Italy for Christ's sake. He won't know if I tell my father what's happened to me; there's no reason for him to come to this part of the world at all. Give me one good reason why I can't tell my father that I'm a vampire?"

Edward knew that Bella was well aware that Charlie's life would be in danger if Aro found out he knew; she was just shouting to the world about the injustice of her situation. But Edward had been giving the problem some thought and he had planned to put a suggestion to her, so now was as good a time as any.

Even though he was enjoying watching her walking around the room with no clothes on, he sat on the edge of the bed then caught her hand as she walked past and pulled her onto his lap.

"I've been thinking about your predicament and I might have a solution."

Bella looked at him with a surprised expression on her face.

"What sort of solution?"

"Yesterday I was thinking back to a conversation I had with Ace a few days ago. He's noticed how different I am since I got back from leave and he's fronted me up about it on several occasions. He's jumped to the conclusion that I've been using myself as a human guinea pig for the new drug that Anthony was working on, which when you think about it is sort of true. He's met Jasper too, and we've had to 'own up' that we're on the same drug trial because of what it's done to the colour of our eyes."

"So what you're suggesting is that I tell my dad that I look and feel different because I'm taking drugs?"

"Sort of, yes. Suppose we tell your dad something like the lab has produced a drug that stops you from ever becoming sick, but because of the impact it would have on the world markets, hospitals, insurance and drug companies, we've decided not to produce it as it might send the country into recession."

"What if he wants to take it too, or wants it for Sue?"

"We can stall him for a while; say that we haven't discovered yet what the long-term side effects are, other than turning our eyes golden, lowering our core temperature and making our body feel rock-hard, that sort of thing. For example, in a few years' time we can tell him that it's made us sterile, so we will definitely never market it."

"But what if he goes ape at you for giving it to me?"

"You can tell him that you insisted on taking it at the same time as me. He knows how feisty you are!"

Bella grinned at that statement, but it was true!

"It's worth a try. Hopefully he'll be so pleased to see me that he won't get angry."

"It's something to think about, Bella. I know you're unhappy about not being able to see your dad, but I think this is the only solution."

"When could I go and see him?"

"Whenever you want; how about next week?"

"Do you really mean it?"

"Yes, I really mean it."

"Will you come too?"

"Of course I will, because there's something I need to discuss with Charlie."

"What on earth have you got to talk to my dad about?"

"Well, I could ask him what bait to use when I'm salmon fishing, _or_ I could ask him whether I had his permission to marry his daughter?"

Bella flung her arms around his neck and kissed him, and as they were heading for another bout of love-making, they heard Carlisle calling up from below.

"About bloody time!"

* * *

Edward and Jasper were sitting on the deck looking out to sea. Everyone else was in the house, still recovering from the events of yesterday. No-one had felt inclined to go into work when the morning came, so they just sat around, coming to terms with their thoughts about the events that had just happened _and_ making a fuss of Esme. Edward had time to think overnight about Alec and he had a few questions he wanted to ask Jasper.

"Why didn't you tell us that you'd called Garrett and he would be there? Bella and I were frantic yesterday afternoon. If we'd have known he was hiding in the sea I would've been a lot calmer."

"I wanted you to be frantic," Jasper responded. "I didn't want Alec to guess from any of our faces that I'd laid a trap for him. I couldn't depend on you, Bella or Carlisle being able to act out being horrified when he did what he did to Esme."

Edward immediately saw the logic behind Jasper's response, but even if he had known Garrett and his coven were lying in wait, he would have still looked horrified when his mother was covered in gasoline.

"Did Alice foresee he would use gasoline?" was his next question.

"No, but I guessed he would do that because that's what I would have done in his position. You can't argue with fire; it's the one thing that vampires fear."

"Okay, I understand that now, but what do you think he meant when he said that we were going to Hell as well?"

"I'm not sure to be honest. The only thing I can think of is that he's lied to Aro about us; saying I stole Alice from him. Maybe he was counting on Aro being furious that we've killed him? I really can't think of anything else."

"Has Alice foreseen what might happen?"

"If she has, she's not letting on. She doesn't believe in telling me the future as it might change the decisions I make about how I live my life. If our lives were in danger though, she would let us know."

Edward laughed out loud at that statement.

"What's so funny?"

"It just seems that since Bella and me and mom and dad became vampires, our lives have constantly been in danger. The one benefit of being a vampire I thought was that we were invincible and immortal. I think the opposite is the case now. When I was human, my only fears were car crashes or developing early-onset dementia like my mother as it's a genetic fault. Now I'm living in fear of what a dead vampire may have done to fuck-up my life."

Jasper mused on that statement for a moment. He had overheard Edward and Bella talking last night and knew that Bella was unhappy. He approved of Edward's solution to the problem but he was still worried that Bella would be tempted to share her secret with her father. Aro was a mind-reader, and if he visited in the future and touched Bella for whatever reason, even for a welcome kiss, he would know instantly that she had broken the law and her life and her father's would be forfeit. He needed to warn Edward so that he could convince her to keep the secret.

"Hopefully Alice will see what's coming so we can be prepared, but in the meantime you must talk Bella out of telling Charlie what we are. It's very dangerous for all of us."

"I don't think she will now. If Charlie accepts we're trialling a new drug, then that's all he needs to know. I'll be with her the whole time and will back up what she's telling him, so hopefully he won't need any more explanations. Like Bella said, he'll probably be so pleased to see her that he won't question her about her looks."

"Okay, well good luck with Charlie then. I hope he isn't tempted to give you a left hook for what he thinks you've done to his daughter though."

"He could try, but he'll end up in ER if he does."

They both laughed at the thought of Charlie trying to punch a vampire and ending up with a broken hand instead. That _would_ take a bit of explaining.

"Are you going back to the lab tomorrow?" Jasper asked.

"Probably. I still haven't worked out who the mole is. I guess John and Jane are off the hook; they seem like a genuine couple. Ace doesn't give a shit about anything, so I can't imagine him going to a newspaper for money. Ben, on the other hand, or someone associated with Ben, is now my number one suspect, but I don't know why he would want to do that. He's very well paid, he's never come to me with any grievance about his work, so apart from occasionally being an arrogant shit I haven't got a problem with him. However…."

"However…?" Jasper prompted.

"I don't trust him anymore. Before I went to Forks to be changed I trusted him implicitly. Now, I don't, and I don't know why I feel that way. Nothing's changed, but it's almost like I can sense an aura of jealousy and entitlement around him, like he's resentful of my life."

"Do you think he's pissed that you're the boss now? Before Anthony died you were still, technically, an employee. You two were equals at University and now he has to answer to you; that could breed resentment."

"That's true, but he shouldn't have come to work for my uncle then, should he? He must've known that one day I would take over the lab from Anthony, and he would end up being my employee. No, I don't think it's that; I think there's something else bubbling under the surface, but I don't know what. Even if he doesn't turn out to be the mole, I don't think I could ever fully trust him ever again, but I don't know why my attitude towards him has changed."

Jasper took a long hard look at Edward, who was staring out to sea musing about his last statement. Jasper hadn't known Edward for long, but he was wondering whether when Edward was human he was a good judge of character and that skill had been enhanced when he became a vampire. Now he was able to see past the façade of a person's face and tap into what people were actually thinking, rather than just listening to their words and taking them at face-value. It wasn't mind-reading as such, but from Jasper's years of experience with vampires and their skills, it was possible that this skill might develop over time and Edward, like Aro, would eventually be able to read minds.

"Do you think I'm being paranoid?" Edward asked.

"No, I think you're being cautious. Anyway, as we're talking about being cautious, the girls want to go back to CSI tomorrow. I think it's safe enough, don't you? I'll stay here with Esme and work off my laptop if you and Carlisle want to go into the lab."

"Yeah, they'll be fine. Alec is gone and I can't see the other three coming back, now that they know the New York coven is looking after us."

"So, it's back to normal then?"

"Yep, whatever normal is for six vampires!"

* * *

Alice waved her arm out the front door and unlocked her Porsche using the electronic key before dashing from house to car to switch on the engine. Bella followed a few seconds later, slamming the car door quickly because it was blowing a gale outside and her long brown hair was all over the place. The windshield was covered in thin flakes of snow so Alice put the blowers on to clear the screen before she set off.

"It was never cold like this in Seattle," Bella moaned. "The weather is horrible. Look at the sky; it's grey and miserable."

"It's going to brighten up later. It's December; it's always cold here in December."

"I don't like December, or January, or February. I want to live somewhere warm and sunny."

"It's no worse than Seattle so stop complaining, Bella, and put your seat belt on. I want to get to work quickly; we've been away from the office for too long."

Alice was already half way up the track before Bella secured her seatbelt. She looked down into the well of the car where her feet were pushed to one side and spotted a lavender-blue leather purse that she definitely hadn't seen before.

"What's this?" she asked, as she pulled it onto her lap to examine it.

"Isn't it divine? It's by Vivienne Westwood; I picked it up last week."

"It is lovely, I agree, but do you actually need another bag? You've got hundreds already."

"I know, but it was _so_ pretty I just _had_ to have it."

Bella rolled her eyes to heaven. She had heard Alice say that particular sentence many times before, so it was lucky Alice had a sufficiently large enough income to fund her very extravagant lifestyle. Jasper would often joke that Alice was keeping the fashion industry going by herself, but he was glad she had something to spend her money on, seeing as they would never have to pay for mortgages, health care, school and university fees, and a million and one other things that ordinary families had to work hard and save for. Luckily the beach house was spacious, with five good size bedrooms upstairs, and Alice had already commandeered one of the spare ones for all her clothes and accessories, but Jasper knew that eventually they would have to have a place of their own as one additional bedroom would very soon not be enough.

Bella looked sideways at Alice. The radio was on and she was singing along to a tune that Bella recognised but couldn't name as she had no interest in pop music. She knew that Alice was putting on an act, as she was just as shaken by the events of the last few days as she was, but Bella accepted it was important for them both to get back to normality as soon as possible, even though she would have rather have spent the day with Edward. Alice's hair still smelled faintly of gasoline, even though she had washed it several times and covered it in products, but the memories of the previous two days couldn't be washed away so easily and every so often Bella saw Alice shudder, which meant that she was reliving those few minutes of abject horror when Alec had her in his grasp and a lighted flame could have ended her life in seconds.

Yesterday, while they were recuperating indoors, Alice had been trying to foresee what was behind Alec's threats to her family by having one of her 'darkened room' moments. However another vision popped into her mind showing a major drug deal going down in the town tonight and she could clearly see the name of the bar where the deal was taking place. She recognised it as being near to the hospital where Carlisle used to work, so she emailed the Chief of Police's office in Hartford anonymously, as well as the local precinct, giving them as much detail as possible. She was almost certain she recognised one of the gang as the white guy with tattoos that she'd fleeced of his backpack outside the school, so she was pleased that she had seen a definite link between the school and tonight's deal, as this was tangible proof she was getting closer to finding out who the main suppliers were. It was only a matter of time she thought, that they would be able to pass on that information to the police and the criminals would be behind bars.

"I'm going to call Janet today, to see if the dealers have been back," she said to Bella, who was staring out the window, thinking about how she was going to break the news to her father that she was on a 'drug trial' without him exploding.

"Okay," she replied, but she honestly couldn't have repeated what Alice had just said to her as she was miles away.

As they were pulling into the parking lot near CSI, Bella's cell rang. It was Edward.

"Hi darling."

"Hi Bella, I've booked the flights to Seattle for next week."

"Fantastic, thanks. I'm so excited."

"Are you going to tell your dad we're coming?"

"Yes, I'm going to Skype him tonight."

"Okay, that's great. Bella, Dad and I were going to go into the lab today, but the boatyard has just called and the new yacht has just been delivered a week early. We're going to take it out to check it over this afternoon as the weather looks like it's brightening up. We'll be back home between four and five."

"That's fine, Edward, I'll see you then."

"I'm using your car by the way. I've arranged for a guy to come and fit the new window while it's parked at the Marina so you won't have to endure Alice's driving anymore."

"I heard that!" Alice retorted, then laughed.

"Thanks Edward, love you."

"Love you more."

Alice parked in the lot behind their office and as Bella clambered out of the Porsche, she was congratulating herself on what a wonderfully considerate vampire she was lucky enough to be engaged to. She heard the beep as Alice locked the car while she was putting her cell back in her bag and was walking towards the street. As she put her foot on the edge of the curb, she heard Alice shriek her name and in a flash she felt herself being lifted off her feet then being thrown back into the parking lot just as a black car raced over the exact spot on the sidewalk where she had been standing.

Bella was on her knees on the ground, but Alice's eyes were able to follow the car as it sped into the distance and she just managed to see part of the licence plate before it disappeared from view.

"Black BMW," she hissed, "with a 'T' on the licence plate."

* * *

 **Bella and Alice are obviously being followed - who do you think this is? It's not Louis and his mob, because Bella saw this car before they started fleecing the dealers outside the school.**

 **Alec is now a smoldering pile of ash, but he'd already planned ahead to get rid of Jasper and the rest of the family to stop them coming after him if he'd managed to steal Alice. Big problems to come when they find out what he's done.**

 **At least Bella's happy now - she's going to see Charlie, so exciting days for her ahead. But the Vivienne Westwood purse has made its first appearance since the first chapter when it got some new holes, which really upset Alice, so you know what's coming, don't you ?**

 **See you next time for another sticky situation for our girls.**

 **Joan xx**


	15. Chapter 15

**Alice and Bella are still causing problems for Louis and his gang, but they haven't considered the consequences of what they are doing and whether there will be any retaliation. They are soon going to discover that Louis doesn't take kindly to having his empire threatened. BTW sorry that these chapters are getting longer and longer.**

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Anger

* * *

Louis slammed his phone down on his desk and took a long drag on his cigar. He was furious that tonight's drug deal that had been arranged with his supplier had been scuppered at the last minute.

"Frank!" he yelled, and Frank came hurtling through the door.

"What's up, Boss."

"I've just called Jack. The deal's not happening tonight and he's not fucking happy."

"What the hell happened?"

"My contact at the precinct says the Hartford Police Chief has been tipped off about the drop and they'll be waiting for us at the exact place and the exact time, with guns."

"Fuck! Who the hell knew where and when?"

"Only Jack and I knew; nobody else had been told the time or venue yet. I usually tell the boys about fifteen minutes before the pick-up so there's no chance of word getting out."

"Somebody else must've found out, but it wasn't me, Boss."

"I know it wasn't you, dipstick; your kneecaps are safe for the moment, but someone _is_ fucking with us and I don't know who or how."

"Maybe yours or Jack's phone is bugged?"

"That would normally be the obvious solution. Problem with that this time is that Jack and I always talk in code. Only he and I know that Number 7 is Bianco's and Mickey Mouse means 9 pm. No names are ever mentioned when we talk; no times are ever stated, so how did the informant know that the exchange was taking place at Bianco's at 9?"

"That's a mystery, Boss, but can't you reschedule or change the venue?"

"I suggested that to Jack but he's not risking coming anywhere near us. If someone had that much knowledge of our intended movements, it puts everyone in danger. The Hartford police aren't in our pockets like the locals, so if they're on our case we're in deep shit."

"What are we going to sell on the streets next week, Boss? We've hardly got anything left since the girls took five k's worth of our shit. Most of our dealers are down to their last few spliffs and some are refusing to work anyway after what happened outside the school."

"I don't fucking know, but we've got to get hold of some drugs somehow as our stocks are running seriously low. Have you got any ideas in that fucked up brain of yours?"

Frank scratched his head, as if that would help reactivate his brain. He was starting to panic as he he could tell Louis was on the edge.

"Why can't Jack exchange tomorrow or in a couple of day's time?"

"He won't be anywhere near here tomorrow. He drops goods all over the country and never stays in one place for more than a few hours; he's constantly on the move. He drops and then runs. He's not going to risk getting caught if the cops might be waiting for him and he's always got other buyers for his merchandise so it's a no brainer; he's taking his business elsewhere."

"Shit!"

Louis stood up and started pacing around the room. He had never been in this situation before where he was losing control of his business. He knew his bosses would soon be leaning on him heavily for their monthly levy for having control of this area, and they didn't accept excuses or give second chances, so what he did next to resolve this problem would be critical and it would have to be immediate.

"So, Frank, what the fuck is going on? We're under siege here and my business will soon be falling apart if we can't get any more supplies."

"I don't know, boss. If we put the word out that we haven't got any drugs, other organisations will move onto our turf."

"Exactly, so we've got to think of a way around this. Anyway, what's happening about the two bitches that need wasting?"

"I've given up with Beavis and Butthead. I've got some professional hit men on the case this time. They're going to finish them this afternoon, once and for all."

"Good, but I'm warning you, Frank, they'd better be successful this time or someone else will be six feet under instead."

"Understood, boss. I'll make sure they know the consequences of failure."

"I'm not talking about them, Frank, I'm talking about you."

Frank didn't say any more, he just walked out the door and stood outside in the corridor. He tried to light a cigarette to calm himself, but his hands were shaking violently and in the end he gave up. The two hit men he'd hired were already on their way to do the deed, but he decided to go along himself this time to make absolutely sure the girls were definitely dead before reporting back. He knew what the hit men were planning to do, so he would be able to witness bodies being taken away by ambulance and then he would know it was safe to go back to Louis, otherwise he would be getting as far away from Connecticut as possible.

* * *

It was a slow day at the CSI office. After dealing with the voicemail messages and e-mails that had built up while they were dealing with Alec, Alice phoned Annalise Simpson for a chat, promising to visit her in the next few days to see her new kitten called Valentino and to look at her vintage wardrobe.

After calling Edward back and telling him about seeing the black BMW again, Bella had spent the day searching the internet for something that would link a string of house burglaries that had taken place recently and were still unsolved. House theft was not a priority for the police any more, unless the house owner was well known, very rich or a politician. Unfortunately the poor souls that had lost their valuables were in none of these categories and were frustrated at the lack of progress in finding the culprits or their possessions, so they had banded together to pay for a private detective to look into their cases. Bella initially concluded that the only similarity was that all the thefts had taken place when the families were away on holiday, which wasn't much to go on.

Bella gave all the details she had gleaned from newspaper reports and insurance claims to Alice and watched her go into her 'darkened room' state as she tried to foresee where the next burglary would take place, but as she was doing that, Bella noticed another similarity that hadn't been picked up before. A few of the house owners mentioned that it was a shame that their dog wasn't in the house as barking would have alerted their neighbours. Bella quickly called the group leader, Mike Donnelly, and asked him if he had a dog.

"Yes, Bella, we do. Why do you ask?"

"Who looked after your dog while you were away, Mike?"

"We booked him in to our local kennel. He often goes there."

"Could you find out from the other members of the group how many of them have dogs and where they were when they were robbed, then get back to me?"

"Sure, Bella, leave it with me."

Mike hung up and Bella sat there, tapping her pencil on her desk waiting for him to call back.

Alice came out of her trance.

"Anything?" Bella asked.

"No, not really. I keep having an image of a motorbike, but that's all."

"A motorbike, is that it?" Then Bella's phone rang. It was Mike again.

"Any luck?"

"Yes, I think you might be on to something. All of us bar one has dogs and all of us put them in a kennel while we were away."

Bella did a fist pump that wasn't lost on Alice.

"Is it the same kennel?"

"No, there are at least three kennels involved. I can't imagine all three would be corrupt though, would you?"

"No, but there must be a link somehow. I'll get back to you as soon as we've worked out what it is."

Bella said goodbye and put the phone down, trying to work out an answer to the mystery on her own. Sometimes she got fed up with Alice's foresight as it made their job too easy. She was used to using her brain, and frankly she was starting to get bored with Alice coming up with solutions without any effort on her part, even though they were helping their clients solve their problems quickly.

After playing a game of Candy Crush on her cell and moaning to Alice about being bored, she got up and wandered over to the window. Alice was painting her nails as she had nothing to do either and they were both ready to call it day and head home. It was just starting to get dark even though it was still early, but it was coming up to the shortest day of the year and the light started fading at about four. Her cell phone rang so she fished it out of her bag. It was Edward.

"Hi darling, where are you?"

"Carlisle is just docking the boat. We'll clean up here then we'll head back to the beach house to relieve Jasper. How much longer will you be at the agency?"

"Not long."

They had a brief chat about the new boat and the potential for romantic get-aways in the Caribbean which sounded idyllic as it would just be the two of them. Bella was desperate to feel some warmth on her skin so now she had something else to look forward to. She hung up after promising Edward she would be home in about an hour.

Alice was blowing on her fingers to speed up the drying process on her nails when the office telephone rang.

"I'll get it," Bella offered, not wanting Alice to ruin her manicure. She strode quickly over to the other side of Alice's desk and picked up the receiver. As she lifted it to her ear there was the sound of breaking glass, followed instantly by an ear-splitting bang in front of her. Alice shrieked as she was thrown backwards in her office chair before it crashed against the wall then tipped forwards, tumbling Alice to the floor.

Bella dropped the phone and in a split second, moving quicker than the eye could see, she was over to where Alice was lying, just as another loud bang filled the air and she heard a whistling noise right next to her ear, followed by the sound of glass exploding behind her. She whipped her head round and saw the framed photo of Jasper Alice had on her desk, lying in shattered pieces on the floor.

Bella threw herself on top of Alice and covered her own face and Alice's with her arms. Several more bullets whipped through the office, embedding themselves into the walls and furniture; one slicing into the chair she had been sitting in earlier, making it spin around several times before it crashed into a filing cabinet.

"Keep absolutely still," she whispered to Alice, who was lying face down and not moving, either from fear or shock Bella couldn't tell. She knew if they'd still been human, Alice at least would be dead by now, but she also knew that nothing other than actual fire would end their lives, and that fact alone convinced her that whoever it was who was shooting at them didn't know they were vampires.

Another burst of gunfire sprayed the room with bullets and Bella felt a violent punch in her side then another on her leg. She knew she had been hit and the bullets had penetrated her clothing, but fortunately they weren't able to go any further. She glanced sideways without moving her head, and saw the muzzle of a high calibre gun pointing straight at her through a hole in the window and a squinting eye staring at her through another.

As she lay on the floor playing dead, Bella was listening intently to what was happening outside, trying to pick up any clues as to who was doing this. When the gunfire finally stopped she heard two male voices emanating from the sidewalk.

 _"Did you get them?"_

 _"Yes, both the bitches are down. I can see them on the floor. They're not going anywhere no more. They've got more holes in them than my Pa's fishing net."_

 _"Right, let's get out of here and get our money from Frank and Louis."_

Bella heard the sound of a motorbike revving its engine and the much louder tone as it pulled away at speed, then the sound gradually fading away into the distance. She stood up warily, as she was still not entirely convinced that vampires were indestructible, but after examining her skin where she had been hit, she accepted that she was, thankfully, bullet-proof. As Alice was brushing her clothes down, Bella noticed that a bullet had gone straight through the precious purse but she didn't say anything as she couldn't cope with any more added trauma.

"Look what those bastards have done to my jacket, Bella," she shrieked.

"Alice, you've just been shot! Isn't that slightly more important than damage to your clothes?"

"I'm still standing, but those assholes have ruined my beautiful Dior jacket. This is, now was, an original from Paris; I had to pull all sorts of strings to get my hands on it. You don't get clothes like this off Craig's List."

"Never mind about that, Alice; someone's tried to kill us and those gunshots must have been heard miles away. The police will be here any minute and it's still light outside. We've got to get out of here fast so they'll presume we weren't here when the attack happened. Grab your things, go out the fire door and get the car. I'll lock the front door from the inside and turn off the computers."

Quicker than humanly possible, Bella made the office look as though they had already left for the day and exited through the back door. As she made her way to where their car had been parked across the street, she heard another shriek, but she could tell from the tone of this one that Alice had just discovered her bag now had two extra holes.

A few seconds later a bright yellow Porsche roared up with a furious Alice at the wheel.

"When I get my hands on those bastards I'll tear them limb from limb. _Nobody_ , I mean _no-bo-dy_ , ruins anything designed by Vivienne Westwood and gets away with it. This means war! Who do you think was behind the attack, Bella? I want to go after them _right_ _now_ and show them what the consequences are if you piss-off a vampire."

"I've an idea who they were; but you're the one with the all-seeing-eye! How come you didn't see this coming?"

"I don't know, but when I get home I'm going to lie down in a darkened room until I come up with some answers. I've been so focused on all the other shit that's been going on lately I've taken my eye off the ball."

Bella flipped open her cell and punched in the number for Edward to tell him what had just happened. As she was waiting for him to answer, it dawned on her that this was probably retaliation for turning over the drug dealers outside the school. Suddenly Alice's personal vendetta against the local drug lords didn't seem such a good idea as this had brought unnecessary attention on the family, which could prove difficult to resolve. As they pulled away, Bella could tell by Alice's expression that she was thinking along the same lines as well. They were now targets of professional hit-men and once news got out that there were no bodies in the building, the hit-men would no doubt try again and again, which was not good news.

They headed for the coast at breakneck speed and quickly reached the junction of the highway and their track, passing the blackened remains of the store that had now been abandoned by the emergency services. As they turned towards the house, a thunderbolt hit Bella's brain. Suddenly the reason why her car had been vandalised became horrifyingly clear to her. These hit men had broken into her car to turn on her Satnav and had presumed the store was their home, and those poor women had been murdered instead of her and Alice. Bella let out a strangled cry of anguish then put her head in hands, wondering when this nightmare was going to end.

As Alice screeched the car to a halt, Edward and Jasper appeared on the drive to meet them and literally in a flash, Bella and Alice were out of the car and into the arms of their men. It didn't make any difference to them that they were immortal vampires; they had been attacked by humans, and that fact had slowly sunk in during the journey and they were shocked and frightened. Now, they had to work out who was trying to kill them and, more importantly, how they were going to stop them.

It was going to be _another_ very long night.

* * *

Frank was loitering in the doorway of a nearby shop, witnessing the gunmen emptying their weapons through the windows of CSI. Their first shots were random, but he knew that he was witnessing an assassination when one of the gunmen aimed his gun clinically at his target and fired several individual shots, then the gunman turned away with a satisfied smile on his face, not caring who had seen him carrying out the attack. The two men casually secreted their guns inside their jackets and after a brief conversation they climbed onto their motorbike, snapped their visors down on the crash helmets they hadn't bothered taking off, and disappeared into the distance.

Frank waited for several minutes before going over to take a look at the carnage. He didn't want to be first on the scene as that might mean the police would want to talk to him. He hung back until other shop and office workers gingerly came out from the safety of their work places to see what had happened. A few brave souls peered through the holes in the window to see if there was anything worth seeing, then they shrugged their shoulders almost disappointedly, wondering why anyone would want to spray an empty office with bullets.

The small crowd that had gathered could hear sirens in the distance, so Frank pushed his way to the front to take a look before the police arrived. All he could see through the shattered glass was an empty office; with only tipped-over chairs and spent bullets on the floor, but no evidence that anything more serious had happened.

"Lucky the occupants are away," a woman said to another. "I haven't seen lights on in there for a few days; they must have already gone away for Christmas."

"That must be one very pissed ex-husband who did that," a man said loudly from the back of the crowd, and they all laughed at the joke.

The sirens were getting closer, so Frank elbowed his way out of the crowd and walked away from the scene with his head down and his collar up. He knew he'd witnessed a professional hit, "but where the fuck were the bodies and the blood?" he asked himself. How anybody could clear up a crime scene in a matter of minutes was a mystery to him, but one that he wasn't going to hang around to solve.

Frank Capper had already made his mind what he was going to do, or to be more exact, what he _wasn't_ going to do, which was report back to Louis. He was going to put as much distance as possible between himself and that monster, who would no doubt take his vengeance out on him when he discovered that the girls were still alive.

Luckily he had been stashing money away for a day such as this, so he went to an ATM and drew out five hundred bucks from an account he had opened a few years ago using an assumed name. Without bothering to go back to his car, which was owned by Louis anyway, or to his meagre apartment to collect any of his belongings, he took a cab to the bus station and bought a one-way ticket to a new life in Alabama. As the bus pulled away from the town, Francisco Matteo Capiello, or Frank Capper as he preferred to be known, was not only running away from the clutches of Luigi Antonelli, otherwise known as Louis; he was also escaping from the obligations that came with being a member of a 'family' that was known to the rest of the world as 'The Mafia'.

* * *

The two couples were in the study debating what to do next. Carlisle was in the conservatory with Esme as she was still too frightened to be left alone, even for a minute. Carlisle could hear the conversation that was going on but didn't want to leave her side, plus he didn't want to unnerve Esme further by talking about hit men and explosions in front of her.

"The police will want to talk to us. What are we going to do?" Alice said, trying not to sound stressed but failing miserably.

"I'm surprised they're not banging on the door already," Edward muttered.

"They won't come tonight," Jasper replied. "I registered both companies to an address in New York under a slightly ambiguous name. They've got no way of tracing us here, so don't panic. The cops will probably go to the management company who own the building first. I'm sure they'll call me in the morning."

"That's the least of our problems," Bella said. "Those men think they've killed us. When it hits the news that there was no-one in the building, the assassins and whoever hired them are going to be very suspicious."

"We can't do anything about that and frankly it doesn't matter," Edward said, sounding irritated. "What we've got to work out is who is trying to kill you."

"It's the drug dealers," Alice replied. "They must have tracked us down somehow by tracing Bella's car then targeting the store. When that didn't work, they just thought they'd blast us to kingdom-come at the office."

"Why on earth did you get messed up with drug dealers, for Christ's sake," Jasper responded angrily. "We're probably talking organised crime here; maybe even the Mafia. We can't risk drawing attention to ourselves; it's too risky."

"I'm sorry," Alice responded just as angrily, "but if it was your kid that was being targeted by these low-lives outside the school gate, maybe you'd want them caught, brought to trial and incarcerated for the rest of their lives."

"There's ways and means of doing things, Alice. Why couldn't you just inform the police of their movements?"

"I've tried that and the PTA has tried that, but the dealers were always one step ahead; they've known when the cops are coming every time. There's a deal supposed to be going down tonight, but you can bet your bottom dollar they've already been tipped off."

"So, we're dealing with corrupt cops as well. This just gets better and better," Jasper huffed sarcastically.

Edward was still thinking about the BMW driver trying to mow Bella down and had first of all presumed it was the drug dealers, but then he realised that the PTA had only contacted CSI after Bella had first mentioned that she thought she was being followed, so who else was trying to kill them?

The four of them sat glowering at each other.

Jasper was furious with Alice. Even though her intentions were honorable and good, he thought she'd been reckless, not thinking through the consequences of riling a gang of drug dealers.

Alice was angry with Jasper for not supporting her crusade against drugs.

Edward was blaming Alice for dragging Bella into a dangerous situation and Bella, well Bella was just wanting to walk away from everything; from being a vampire, from living in Connecticut, from running a detective agency, from every aspect of her current existence, apart from being with Edward.

"I can't take this anymore," she whispered; her voice shaking with emotion. "I just want to go home."

Bella sprang up suddenly and at full vampire speed she flew up the stairs to her bedroom and started flinging clothes into a bag. Edward was right behind her and after watching her for a few seconds he pulled her away from her closet and clung on to her; his arms wrapped around her tightly.

"Let me go, Edward," she shrieked. "I'm going back to Forks; I can't stand it here any longer."

"You mustn't, Bella. We've got to stick together."

"Well come with me then. You say you love me, then here's an opportunity to show me how much. Give all this up; walk away from your life like I've had to walk away from mine."

Edward relaxed his grip on her and let her go.

"I can't, I've got my parents to look after and the lab to run."

"Fuck the lab; it'll run itself."

"No, it won't."

"Really? Well tell me something, Doctor Masen, who would have run your precious lab if Aro had murdered you and Carlisle that night? Tell me that. The whole of the Masen dynasty would have been wiped out in an instant if that Italian maniac hadn't had a tiny shred of decency left in that disgusting body of his, so what would have happened then?"

"It wouldn't have mattered."

"Why wouldn't it have mattered?"

"Because all of us would have been dead, Bella, that's why. While I'm alive, if you can call it that, I'm going to do my best to discover a cure for dementia, and I need the lab to do that."

"So your research is more important than me then?"

"I didn't say that."

"It sure sounded like it."

"Bella, you're upset. A lot has happened in the last few days; I understand why you feel like this."

"You bet I'm upset, but you're not stopping me. I'm going back to Forks tonight."

"I'm not going to stop you; you're your own person, vampire or not. I'm just asking…. no, I'm begging you to be careful. If you tell your father you're a vampire and Aro finds out, he'll kill us all, and your father and Sue, and your mother, and probably everyone associated with you. You don't want that, do you?"

"No, I don't, so don't panic. I'm not going to tell Charlie anything about us; I'm telling him I'm on a drug trial, like you suggested."

Bella put her arms back around Edward's waist.

"Are you coming with me to Forks?"

"No, I'm not."

Bella pulled away from him again and she was angry.

"Why not?" she asked accusingly.

"Because you and Alice are going together, tonight. I want both of you out of Connecticut as fast as possible. Get as far away from this place until it's safe to come home. It'll soon be Christmas, so you've got a good reason to close CSI for a while."

"So, you want me to go, just like that? What are you going to do while we're away?"

"Jasper and I have a lot of things to sort out here, so don't worry about me."

"What sort of things?"

"Finding out who's trying to kill you for starters. Whoever is doing this probably doesn't know about Jasper and me which gives us an advantage."

Bella sat down on the bed and put her face in her hands. She was feeling utterly confused, upset, angry and frightened. Edward sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her in to him for a hug.

"Was that our first argument, Bella?"

"I suppose so. I'm sorry, Edward, but apart from being in love with you, my life is shit at the moment and I can't see an end to it, and now you want me to go away."

"I'm sorry too, and I don't know what lies ahead for us, but when you get back from Forks we can sit down and work out what we want to do with our lives, and if that means walking away from the lab, I'll do it if that makes you happy."

"I don't want you to do that, Edward, because that would make you unhappy and, in the end, resentful."

"Bella, we're a partnership, and if we're going to spend eternity together, than we've got to find a way of life that we're both content with."

Bella snuggled up closer to him. She wanted him to get even closer, but she could hear Alice in her room complaining that the Porsche only had a small trunk and she had to take at least four pieces of luggage with her. In the end, Jasper told her to take the Cherokee and he would drive the Porsche while she was away.

Bella stood up and wandered over to the desk where her computer was set up.

"Should I warn Charlie I'm on my way?" she asked Edward.

"No, not yet. Wait until you get to Seattle and call him, then he won't have a welcome party waiting for you. It would be best if you said you were staying with Alice in Cullen House, then you wouldn't have to have dinner or sleep over. Tell him that Alice doesn't like sleeping on her own and you've promised to stay with her while she's putting the house in moth balls."

"Okay, I'll do that. I wish you were coming with me."

"I wish I was too."

"How long should we stay away, Edward?"

"Until Jasper and I say it's safe to come back, which hopefully won't be too long."

Bella went back to her closet and half-heartedly pulled some more clothes out and shoved them in her bag. She was starting to regret her spur of the moment decision to run back to Forks as she couldn't imagine being without Edward for any length of time. Even though they didn't sleep, they hadn't spent a night apart since they were changed and Bella didn't know if she could cope without being able to see and touch him for too long. As she zipped her bags up, she tried to concentrate on how much she wanted to see her dad again and that it wouldn't be long until she was back with Edward.

"Okay, Edward. I'm ready. Let's go downstairs, I need to tell Esme where I'm going."

She picked one of her bags up but Edward pulled it out of her hand and threw it back down on the floor. He grabbed her around her waist and pressed her up against the bedroom wall.

"You're not going anywhere until I say goodbye to you properly," he whispered, and his mouth was on hers in a frantic caress as one of his hands undid her jeans and slid inside her panties. His tongue forced its way between her lips as his fingers plunged deep inside her body, searching for the magic spot. Bella whimpered when he found it and he worked on it while never breaking the kiss, until she fell apart in his arms.

While she was recovering, he pulled her jeans off, undid his pants then wrapped Bella's legs around him as he pushed his way inside her. He couldn't look at her face as he rammed into her as far up as he could, but buried his face into her neck, drinking in the smell of her hair and skin so he could memorise every nuance of her scent. The realisation they were going to be parted had sunk home as he was watching her pack and he needed to be as close to her as possible before she headed west. As he came with a final shuddering thrust, accompanied by a cry of elation, he pulled her away from the wall and wrapped his arms around her, crushing her into his chest, almost as though he wanted his body to absorb her in order to protect her.

"Stay safe, Bella. I won't rest until you're back with me," he said, his face choking with emotion. "I love you more than my own life and that will never change."

"I love you so much more," Bella cried. "I just want this nightmare to end. I don't ever want to have to leave you again."

As they clung to each other they could hear Jasper 'saying goodbye' to Alice in their room on the other side of the hallway. They weren't even trying to be discreet; their bed must have moved from one side of the room to the other considering the noise it was making. Edward grinned at Bella as he brushed her hair from her face then lovingly kissed her on her forehead then gently pulled out of her and set her feet down on the floor.

"That was a wonderful goodbye, Edward. I must go away more often," Bella joked, trying to make light of the situation.

"No, this isn't happening again. This is the last time we're ever going to be apart. I promise you."

* * *

It was just after eight in the evening before the Cherokee was finally loaded with all of Alice's essentials and Bella's two bags. After saying goodbye to Carlisle, Esme and Molly, the two couples stood on the freezing deck to say their final farewells.

"Stay in contact during the journey," Edward said as Bella kissed him for the last time.

"I'll call you every six hours; is that okay?"

"That's fine, and Alice, don't drive too fast."

"I'm a good driver, Edward, don't panic," Alice retorted.

"I know you are, but don't risk getting pulled over. Our police can be over-zealous sometimes, especially with two pretty girls on their own, so don't attract attention."

"No, dad!" Alice responded facetiously, but with a grin on her face.

Alice jumped in to the driver's seat and Bella slid in next to her as Edward closed her door.

"Love you," he whispered in her ear through the open window.

"Love you more," she replied as Alice put her foot down. The back wheels spun, showering gravel in all directions, and they were off up the track like a bullet, leaving Edward rolling his eyes to heaven and Jasper grinning from ear to ear.

After watching the lights of the Cherokee disappearing over the horizon, Edward and Jasper wandered back into the house and sat in the study contemplating what to do next.

"We've got to find these bastards and soon," Edward said angrily. "What has Alice told you about them?"

"Nothing much, only that the main man is a guy called Louis and his dealers are all terrified of him. Alice hasn't discovered where he hangs out; her next plan was to follow the dealers back to their base."

"That's what we'll have to do then."

"I know, but then what? How far are you prepared to go with this, Edward? Do we give the information to the police, or do we deal with them ourselves. Are you ready to waste these guys; in other words be their judge and jury?"

"They put a hit out on the girls; we'll just be returning the favour!"

"So, you're ready to kill them, Edward?"

"Not all of them."

"Just Louis then?"

"Yep, especially if the cops are in his pocket. He'll either be off the streets or off to the undertaker; I don't mind which."

"Have you ever killed a human before, Edward?"

Edward shook his head and then common sense prevailed and he put his head in his hands.

"No, I haven't, not even when I was doing my medical training, and I don't ever want to."

Edward laughed grimly at his own joke but he knew it was no laughing matter.

"It looks like we're going to have to come up with a plan to ensure Louis and his gang are brought to justice. Any ideas, Jasper?"

"No, but I'm sure something will come to me."

"It's at times like these I wish I was still human, as a nice cold beer would certainly aid my thought processes."

Carlisle was in the conservatory with Esme and overheard that comment and they heard him sigh.

"Bourbon on the rocks for me if you're buying, Edward, and a chilled glass of Chablis for your mother would be just perfect!"

* * *

 **So the girls are heading west to get away from the hit-men and to visit Charlie, leaving Edward and Jasper on a mission to track down Louis, not knowing they are now dealing with The Mafia. But other events will distract them as the police want some answers and the mole has been in the labs again. There will be a bit of a shocker at the end of the next chapter as well - just warning you!**

 **Joan x**


	16. Chapter 16

**Louis thinks he's got his own back on Alice and Bella, so he's going to have a nasty shock when he finds out they'** **re not coming out of CSI in body bags!**

 **The girls are heading out of Connecticut leaving the boys to sort out their problems. Alice's foresight has been distracted lately but now she has a three thousand mile road trip ahead - plenty of time to delve into the dark recesses of her mind and concentrate on what Alec may have done to put them all in danger.**

* * *

CHAPTER 16 - Visions

* * *

Louis had been watching the TV when the report came through that a shooting had taken place in the town. It was the news he'd been waiting for and a satisfied smirk crossed his face. He pressed the buzzer on the desk, but Frank didn't come through the side door as usual.

"Frank," he shouted, expecting Frank to appear in his office immediately. He wanted to congratulate him on a job well done.

"Frank," he shouted again, but there was no reply from his second in command or anyone else for that matter. He got up from his desk and looked out of his window onto the drive and saw that Frank's car was not where it was usually parked, which was strange for this time of day. Frank would always let him know if he was leaving the house and as he was his personal bodyguard as well, he shouldn't have left without permission leaving him unprotected.

Louis shrugged his shoulders and went back to his chair and lit a celebratory cigar. He presumed Frank was paying off the gunmen before returning to give him all the gory details of the hit and he was looking forward to hearing how the bitches suffered before dying. He impatiently sat through the national news stories and when the local news came on, he was surprised it wasn't the first report as the other stories were trivial in comparison. But he only had to wait for a few more minutes until a female news reporter appeared on screen standing outside the offices of CSI, and Louis could see that the windows had been peppered with bullets.

"Ha!" he yelled at the screen. "That'll teach you bitches not to mess with me," he gloated and took a long satisfying drag on his cigar.

Then the reporter launched into her story.

 _"_ _At about four thirty this afternoon, gunshots were heard on this quiet street in the business part of town. A witness who doesn't want to appear on screen, saw two men get off a motorbike and casually walk up to this office window and spray it with bullets before they got back on their bike and headed out of town. Fortunately the occupants of this new private detective agency were not at their desks and apparently haven't been there for some days, but the police would still like to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity who may have witnessed the attack. At this moment in time the police are unable to offer any motive as the staff seem to have already gone away for Christmas and cannot be contacted, but it sure looks like they've upset someone along the way. Now it's back to the studio."_

Louis pulled the cigar from his mouth and smashed it into the desk, burning a hole into the leather covering. He picked up a heavy glass paperweight and hurled it at the television, shattering the screen into jagged shards. As a guttural roar emanated from his throat, his bloated face went purple with fury. He roughly pulled open a drawer and grabbed the gun that was lying there. He wanted to take his anger out on the first person who crossed his path; he didn't care who it was, or whether they were involved in the fuck-up. He was going to show the bunch of morons who had the misfortune to work for him what the consequences were when his orders hadn't been followed to the letter.

He stormed out of his office and flung open the door of the games room. It was deserted. Every person in the house that had heard his reaction to the news had realised Louis was on the warpath and had made a run for it. They'd seen him pissed before and knew what to expect and they weren't going to hang around to suffer the fall-out.

Louis very quickly realised that the house was empty, and other than taking a pot-shot at the first person who walked down the street just for kicks, he would have to channel his anger elsewhere. He walked slowly back to his office, incensed that these two girls had once again escaped his version of justice, and slammed the door so hard the windows rattled in their frames. As he walked back to his chair, a snippet of information Frank had given him sprang into his mind, and he recalled an interesting fact about the Volvo that hadn't been followed up fully as yet.

"Masen Research," he said out loud. "Their Volvo belongs to Masen Research, doesn't it, Louis? Now that's an interesting nugget of information you can use to track these bitches down and maybe even their friends and family as a bonus. I think it's about time I fucked their lives up big time in return for them trying to fuck up mine, so the gloves are off, Masen Research and all who work there. This is going to get _very_ ugly."

He picked up his cell and selected a name in his contacts that he very rarely used and waited for the response which came after three rings. The first words he heard were..,

"Si, Luigi."

* * *

"It's the motorbike!"

"What is?" Bella replied irritably, as she'd just been reminiscing about Edward's 'proper goodbye' and was at the bit where Edward was undoing his pants.

"That's how they're doing it."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The kennels."

"What kennels… oh! You're talking about the burglaries."

"Yes! I've just worked out how the robbers are finding out that the families are away."

"Alright Alice, enlighten me."

It was four in the morning and they had been on the road for eight hours. They were on the 80, travelling towards Cleveland where they were planning to stop and refuel. They had run out of conversation about four hours ago and Alice's outburst had brought Bella back into the real world. She had been staring out of the Cherokee's frozen windows, watching New York State and Pennsylvania flash by, daydreaming, or to be more precise, night-dreaming about Edward, and now they were just crossing the state line into Ohio and would stay on the 80 until they joined the 90 to get to Chicago. After that they would travel through all the northern states before finally driving through Idaho to Washington State and Seattle. Obviously Alice had been having one of her 'darkened room' moments, but at least there was something to talk about now.

"Don't sound so fed up, Bella. At least I'm doing something productive while I'm driving. You're just moping about leaving Edward."

"Forgive me for missing the man I love, Alice. Remember, I've only been with Edward for four months; you and Jasper have been together for over a hundred years."

"I know," Alice replied wistfully, "but it still seems like only yesterday."

"Oh, don't give me a load of tosh," Bella responded grumpily.

"Do you want to hear my theory or not?" Alice huffed.

"Go on then, I'm all ears."

Alice ignored Bella's sarcastic retort and launched enthusiastically into her explanation."

"Okay, so pretend I've just booked a holiday or a weekend away but I have to take my dog to the kennels. So I drag Lassie into the car and drive her off to the Doggy Hilton and leave her there. I get back in my car and drive home, throw my luggage in the trunk and head off to Hawaii or Disneyland or wherever."

"So you've gone on holiday, what's the big deal?"

"What if the robbers are hanging around _outside_ the kennel, waiting for an unsuspecting driver to drop their little pooch off, then they follow the car back to their house. They know that their place is going to be empty for a few days or Lassie would've been looked after by whoever stayed behind. It's so obvious now; I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

"Do you think that's why you had a vision of a motorbike?"

"Probably. I'm not saying this is definitely a solution, but I could call Mike Donnelly in the morning and ask him to stake out one of the kennels while we're away just to test the theory. Christmas is coming, so kennels are bound to be doing good business over the next two weeks."

"That's a good idea, Alice, well done."

Bella felt a bit sheepish that she'd snapped at Alice. It wasn't her fault they were driving through the night on a three thousand mile journey so she knew she had to apologise.

"Alice, I'm sorry I was so ratty; I've got a lot on my mind and can't get my head around what's going to happen over the next few days and I really wish Edward was here."

"What is it that you're particularly worried about? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just don't know what to say to my dad. I've honestly never lied to him before, and I don't know whether he'll just see right through me. He's a cop, and he knows when people aren't telling the truth; it's an instinct that's as natural to him as breathing."

"I can understand that and I'm really sorry you're in this position. You must be the first vampire in history to want to keep in touch with your human family, so I am sympathetic."

"I know you are, Alice. I just don't know how to start the conversation with my dad; he's bound to notice I'm different straight away."

"The best thing to do is to not give him too much information. If you do, then you'll be telling him lies to cover other lies. Just say something like Anthony was a genius and he invented a wonder drug that makes you feel really great and builds up your immune system so you're never sick. The only side-effects are that it turns your eyes a funny color and gives you really buff muscles. When you first see him, have your thick padded jacket on so he'll be hugging that instead of you – he won't notice the difference. Wear clothes that he's seen you in before as well, then you'll look the same as when he last saw you."

"That's a good idea, but he'll notice that my skin is cold when I kiss him."

"Bella, its December in Forks remember – everyone is frozen!"

Bella laughed when Alice stated the obvious. "I suppose you're right. Thanks for the advice and sorry again."

* * *

Jasper flipped his cell phone shut and thought about the conversation that had just taken place. The police had got his number from the management company who owned the building and they wanted to meet up with Alice, Bella and him to question them about the shooting. Even though no-one was injured, a felony had taken place and it was their job to investigate it.

Edward was watching Jasper's expressions and he could tell what he was thinking. It was obvious to Edward that Jasper didn't want to meet the police, but there was no getting around it.

They had sat up all night talking about how they were going to track Louis down and put an end to these attacks if the police were turning a blind eye to his drug dealing. Now the detective who was handling the case had asked Jasper directly if he had any idea who would target their building and Jasper had replied that he thought it was to do with an investigation his wife had taken on for the local PTA.

Jasper was expecting to have to go to the precinct to be interviewed, but the detective had offered to come out and meet them instead which Edward thought was strange. Jasper had suggested holding the interview at Masen Research so that the detective could speak to Edward as well. He didn't want anyone coming to the house, as Esme couldn't be trusted to 'act human' in front of strangers yet, and as CSI and his office was still a crime scene, and the lab was nearer the town, it was the best alternative.

"What time is the meeting?" Edward asked.

"Ten, so we'd better get going soon, but I want to call Alice first just to go over what she knows.

"I'll call Bella as well. I need to know from her whether it's okay if I tell the detective that she used to work for CSI in Seattle. I would guess that might convince him that we're upstanding citizens and not involved in anything illegal."

"Good idea; I'm sure Bella will go along with that. By the way, is it okay if I drive the Volvo to the lab? I don't want to stay there too long and Alice has asked me to pick up some shopping in the town, so it would be better to take two cars. I hate driving Alice's Porsche; it's not the most comfortable vehicle in the world and I feel like a dick driving a bright yellow car."

Edward laughed. He was still driving Anthony's red Porsche but was considering selling it because he wasn't a fan of this particular model. He had his eye on an Aston Martin, but hadn't managed to arrange a test drive yet to see whether his long legs would fit when he was in the driving seat.

"Sure, take the Volvo. Can you put some gas in it as well as I can almost guarantee that it's running on fumes? Bella just presumes I'll take it to the gas station when I use it occasionally; I don't think she's ever filled it up."

"Okay, no worries. I'll meet you at the lab just before ten then."

Jasper flew up the stairs to have a shower while Edward called Bella. She answered on the third ring.

"Hi darling."

"Hi, Bella. If I didn't know better I would say you sound sleepy."

"I think spaced out would be a better description. I've offered to do some of the driving but Alice is quite happy to carry on. We're in between Cleveland and Chicago on the 90, so we're doing well. Alice is speeding, but her sixth sense is warning her if there's a speed trap ahead."

"Okay, but be careful. Look, Jasper and I are being interviewed by a detective this morning. Is it okay that I tell him you worked at CSI until recently?"

Bella thought about that question for a moment before answering. She hadn't told anyone at CSI that she'd started a detective agency, so if the police checked up on her Victoria would get a surprise. It was more important though that this detective knew that he was dealing with someone who had experience of law enforcement, and not just a random member of the public, so she decided to tell Edward to go ahead.

"I don't see why not. He might actually take notice of what's going on outside our high schools and do something about it if he knows I'm involved. You can tell him that my dad is Chief of Police in Forks as well. No point having connections if you don't use them."

"Okay, I'll mention Charlie too."

"What have you said about why we weren't in the office?"

"Jasper told him that you were heading back to Forks to see your dad before Christmas and Alice was keeping you company. He didn't question that excuse, so I think he bought it."

"Edward, if he wants to call me on my cell, give him my number. It would be better if he interviewed me over the phone rather than face to face. I'll tell him what we've found out so far."

"Okay, if that's what you want."

"What I want is for this to be over and to live quietly with you, but that's not going to happen for a long time, is it?"

"I know, and we'll talk about that when you get home. I'll call you after I've seen the detective, okay?"

"Okay, love you Edward."

"Love you more."

Edward flipped his cell shut and ambled into the conservatory where Carlisle was sitting with Esme. She looked terrified when anybody walked in the room as the shock of being abducted by Alec had still not completely diminished. Being taken away from Carlisle had knocked her progress back by many weeks in that her confidence to go outside the house had completely gone and her conversation was limited to yes, no and maybe. She didn't even want to sit on the deck unless all five of them were out there with her and she was constantly looking all around her watching for strangers. She wouldn't talk about what happened when she was in Alec's clutches but Carlisle had asked her straight out after it happened whether Alec or either of the other males had touched her inappropriately and she shook her head and whispered "no".

Carlisle looked up and smiled. He was quite happy to sit with his wife, holding her hand while talking about the past. Even though Esme was unresponsive, he knew she was listening to what he was saying as every so often she would squeeze his hand gently when he mentioned Edward.

"I'm going to the lab with Jasper, dad," Edward said quietly.

"Alright son, take care. I don't have any plans for today so take your time."

Edward kissed his mother and walked towards the front door. As he passed the stairs he could hear Jasper in his room talking to Alice on the phone about what to say to the police. He opened the door and was blasted by freezing cold air and flying sand so he used his vampire speed to get to his car in an instant. Anthony's Porsche was covered with a layer of frost, added to which sand had stuck to it and it was impossible to see out of the windows. He sat in the car with the engine running for a few minutes until there was enough heat to clear the windshield. As he pulled away Jasper was coming out the door and quick as a flash he was beside the Volvo, so Edward knew he wouldn't be far behind him.

During the journey to the lab he thought about Bella and how unhappy she was, but couldn't see any way he could improve their lives at present. Aro's sword hung over their necks constantly, and even though they hadn't seen or heard from him since the night he walked away from the beach house, the knowledge that he could descend upon them at any time and wipe them off the face of the earth for one small indiscretion was an ever-present reality. He trusted Bella not to say anything to her father, but there was always the danger something might happen, like her not being able to control herself if she smelled a human she couldn't resist, then having to explain herself to a man she admitted she couldn't lie to. Then there was Alec's threat which couldn't be ignored, but until either Alice could tell them what was going to happen, or they fell into a trap that Alec had manufactured before his death, that was also still hanging over their heads.

Edward pulled into the lab and parked in Anthony's spot and used his new swipe card to gain entrance. Dan, the security guard, greeted him at the door and Edward told him to expect Jasper shortly and to send him down to Professor Masen's lab as soon as he arrived. He also told Dan that a detective would be arriving at ten and to call the lab so he could meet him at reception.

Edward walked down the quiet corridor taking care with every step. He could see Ben in his lab staring intently at his computer screen with a cup of coffee in one hand and a stress ball in the other.

"I guess Ben's heading for therapy again," he said to himself and smiled sympathetically.

He tapped in the code for the new lock on Anthony's door and walked into the lab. Nothing had changed since he'd been in here last. The musty smell of Anthony's clothes still lingered in the air even after all this time and the work bench was littered with his personal belongings. When he had time, he would box up all the model racing cars that were displayed on shelves or on top of filing cabinets and give them to a charity, but he would keep the original oil painting of the Brooklands Racing Circuit that Anthony had acquired just before he died, as it went with the name of the lab.

He was just about to open the doors that led to the lake to let some fresh air in when he heard Jasper shouting his name from outside in the corridor at the same time he was banging on the door.

Edward opened the door to the corridor to let Jasper in and saw Ben staring at Jasper curiously from his bench through the glass partitions, so he quickly pulled Jasper in by the arm.

"What the hell's the matter?"

"He's here."

"Who?"

"Our mole. He's either in the building now or he's been here over the last couple of days."

"Shit. Where can you smell him?"

"All the way down this corridor."

"What about in here?"

Jasper sniffed the air for a moment then shook his head.

"No, I don't think he's been in here. I can smell him, but that's probably due to his scent drifting through the door when you opened it."

Edward's tone of voice turned hostile as he imagined what he was going to do with whoever was spying on his company.

"Go back out in the corridor and have a wander around and see where the scent is strongest. If he's in the building now, I'm going to tear him apart, limb from limb."

Jasper went outside and walked up and down the corridor, lingering the longest outside Ben's lab. Edward and Jasper's eyes met and an understanding flashed between them, so Edward grabbed his swipe card and went back out into the corridor. They still had some time before the detective turned up so Edward was hoping they could discover who the culprit was before then, then deal with him or her afterwards.

Edward unlocked Ben's door and went in, followed by Jasper, who stood by the door like he was on guard as it closed behind him.

"Is everything alright, Edward, Jasper?" Ben enquired. "Do you want some coffee?" he offered.

"No thanks, Ben, and everything's fine. How are things?"

"Running smoothly as usual; not really that much to report. I'll send you an update on progress in the labs later on today."

Edward gave Jasper a searching look and he noticed Jasper shaking his head minutely, which confirmed again that Ben was not the man they were looking for. There were a number of other scientists and technicians in the lab, so Jasper strolled around amongst the benches, pretending to be interested in the experiments that were taking place but drinking in the scent of every man and women who was in there. As he walked back to where Edward was standing next to Ben, he shook his head again, indicating that the person they were looking for wasn't there.

Edward cut his conversation with Ben short saying he would catch up with him later and left the lab with Jasper and went back into Anthony's lab.

"What could you pick up?"

"He's without doubt been in the lab recently. The smell was strongest nearest to Ben's bench, but it's definitely not him. It's weird, but of all the people who work here, Ben's individual smell is the nearest to this guy's.

"Why do you think that is?"

"I'm not sure, other than that he spends a lot of time with whoever this person is as his or her scent is all over him. Does he have a girlfriend?"

"Not that I know of. He's only had one long-term girlfriend since I've known him but I don't socialise with him so he may be seeing someone. Do you want me to find out?"

"No, don't bother. I'm almost certain that the scent is male. Do you think he's gay?"

"Definitely not. He's quite religious and also a bit of a homophobe; he genuinely believes homosexuality can be cured!"

"Ouch!" Jasper replied with a grin.

Just then the internal telephone rang. It was Jane, saying Detective Sansom was in Reception.

Edward looked wearily at Jasper. "Warm packs at the ready?"

"Yep! Let's get this over and done with."

* * *

Cleveland was behind them and the new day had dawned as they drove into Illinois heading for Chicago. Bella called Mike Donnelly and put Alice's suggestion to him about staking out some kennels. Mike agreed to do this and said he would contact some of the other aggrieved householders to help him. Mike had heard about the attack on their office and had been trying to call them, so Bella put his mind at rest saying they were taking a short break to see relatives and would be back soon.

Alice had been quiet for the last hour and Bella could tell she was trying to look into the future to pick up any clues about their attackers and anything else that was relevant to their lives. Occasionally her face would distort, which was a sign that she had seen something that upset her, but then she would dismiss that thought and carry on delving into the mass of information that was invading her brain.

As they approached a gas station and food stop, Alice suddenly swung off the highway and raced into the parking lot, throwing the Cherokee into the first space available. She switched off the engine and put her head in her hands.

"What's the matter?" Bella asked, sounding concerned.

"Shhh! I'm thinking." Alice whispered, trying not to make her reply sound like a hissy fit.

Bella whispered back, "okay," and pulled her cell out of her purse and sent a text to Edward, saying how far they had travelled and that she loved and missed him, then sat quietly and waited for Alice to finish surfing the future. After about twenty minutes, Alice opened her eyes and stared ahead of her while the ramifications of what she had just discovered hit home.

Bella couldn't stand it any longer.

"What have you seen, Alice?"

"We're all in danger, Bella?"

"Is that so? Tell me something new, Alice! Who's after us this time; The Terminator, Yosemite Sam or the Mafia?"

"You're right third time," Alice said philosophically, "the Mafia are after us; Louis has just asked for help from the big boys in New York, but they're not our greatest enemies now."

"Who are then?"

"Another group of Italians."

"Do you mean…."

"Yes, Aro and the Volturi have just been given a good reason to kill us all, but I don't know how or why and I don't know when."

"Do you mean they're coming for us?"

Alice nodded her head in affirmation then closed her eyes again in an effort to find out more information, but none was forthcoming.

As the implications of what Alice had just told her sunk in, Bella realised that if what Alice had foreseen was true, and they carried on driving to Forks, she would not only be seeing her father for the first time in four months, she would possibly be saying goodbye to him for the very last time, and she honestly didn't think she had the strength to do that. She was desperate to feel her father's arms around her and be able to tell him face to face that she was happy in Connecticut, but the further the Cherokee travelled away from the east coast, the stronger the pull was to turn around and go back. She was missing Edward so much that there was a physical pain in her gut and she compared it to a drug addict going cold turkey, as the pain got worse every minute and every mile she travelled.

As they sat in the Cherokee, watching the human population getting on with their everyday lives, knowing that their own extraordinary existence could soon be coming to an abrupt end, Alice waited for Bella to make the decision whether to go on to Forks or to turn around and go back East.

Bella drew in a deep breath and sighed.

"My dad is going to have to wait a bit longer to see me, Alice. I want to be with Edward; I need him now and I've got to get back to Connecticut."

Without speaking, Alice slammed the car into reverse, pulled out of the parking lot and with the bright morning sun ahead of them rather than behind them, they headed back east, knowing that going in that direction would bring them closer to danger and possibly the end of their lives.

* * *

 **Italy - twelve hours earlier:**

In the green fields around Volterra, three vampires strode through the lush countryside that surrounded the hilltop town. It was winter in Italy, but the rolling landscape was still stunningly beautiful and probably hadn't changed much in hundreds of years. It was late afternoon and their faces sparkled in the bright sunlight, but no-one was around to witness their otherworldliness. If they'd have come across farmers or any other solitary human beings on the final leg of their travels, they wouldn't have hesitated to drink every drop of their blood as they were famished, but their next meal would have to wait until later. Their mission was to take a message to Aro and then they could feed, as they would have fulfilled their promise to Alec.

They waited until night had fallen before creeping under the stone arch that led to steep cobbled streets and their final destination. As the last café closed its doors and the lights went out across the hill, the vampires crept from doorway to doorway until they arrived at the summit where there was a wide piazza that was now deserted except for a family of feral cats. Keeping close to the walls, they moved silently in the shadows until they reached a huge oak door. The female vampire stepped forward and rapped three times then slunk back into hiding until the door opened just a few inches and a pale face appeared, his eyes searching the gloom to see who had disturbed his evening.

The girl walked into the light that had spilled from the doorway and was instantly recognised by the pale vampire, who opened the door wider to allow her and her two friends to enter. Without speaking, he led them down a wide staircase to the library where Aro was sitting in a deep, leather armchair, waiting to greet his visitors. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the girl enter, as she was a guest he was always delighted to see. He had changed her in 1943 during the war, and had groomed her to be one of his spies. Memories of her 'training sessions' caused the corner of his mouth to curl up in a satisfied smile as he recalled certain aspects of their time together, especially when he was teaching her the finer points of how to extract information from humans or vampires, especially male humans or vampires.

"Come to me, dear Monique," he said, holding out his hand in welcome.

Monique knew this was a command, not a request, so she walked over to him, took his hand and bent over to kiss him on his forehead.

"Good evening, Papa," she said in a lilting French accent. "I have a message from Alec."

Aro closed his eyes as he absorbed Monique's memory. As the tale unfolded from when Alec first told Monique about Alice, to the chance discovery that Alice was living on the east coast, to the kidnap of Esme and the final demise of Alec that had been contrived by Jasper and Garrett on a cold Connecticut beach, Aro's face became a picture of anger. Alec was like a son to him. All the vampires he changed and nurtured were his children in his eyes, and Alec's murder was not going to go unpunished. Jasper hadn't broken any laws by defending Alice; even though Alec believed that because he had taken Alice's virginity he had rights over her, but their other crime was indefensible and was the excuse he needed to wipe them out in revenge for Alec's death.

Aro let go of Monique's hand and gestured her to sit opposite him.

"Tell me all about her, Monique. Why is she such a danger to our kind?"

Monique smiled before she spoke. She could tell by Aro's demeanour that he had taken the bait and that Alec would have his revenge from the grave.

"She's like a child, Aro, and therefore cannot be trusted with our secret. Her mind is affected and she doesn't understand that she's a vampire. She cannot control her movements and has no long-term memory. Even though she's an adult in looks and years, she's more like an infant. She's a terrible danger to all of us, as are all vampire children."

Aro tapped his finger on his chin and smiled.

"Oh my!" he said and slowly licked his lips.

* * *

 **Oh my God! Aro is going after Esme. Let's hope Alice can foresee what's going to happen before he turns up on their doorstep or they're going to be in big trouble.**

 **Next chapter, Edward and Jasper meet up with the detective who is investigating the shooting - now what could possibly go wrong there?**

 **I hope you are enjoying the story so far - we are more than half way now. Thanks so much for your reviews, guesses and comments. They are a joy to read. You will find out who the mole is in the next chapter so you can stop guessing who that is!**

 **Joan xx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Aro has been easily convinced that Esme is a danger to their kind, which has given him the excuse he needs to avenge Alec's death. It will take him a while to get to Connecticut and a lot can happen between now and when he turns up on the doorstep.**

 **In the meantime its all happening in the Labs. Edward and Jasper know that the mole has been around in the last couple of days so they should be able to find out who it is easily, but before they sort that problem out, they have to speak to a detective about the hit on CSI.**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Corruption

* * *

Edward walked towards Detective Sansom with his warmed hand outstretched. He had every intention of being welcoming and friendly towards the man who was waiting for him in the reception area, but as he moved closer to him, it was though an alarm bell was ringing in his head and he didn't understand why. Even though the detective was smiling as he approached, Edward sensed that this was not going to be an easy interview and there was an underlying current of distrust emanating from their visitor. He returned the smile however and shook the detective's hand firmly.

"Welcome to Masen Research, Detective. I'm Edward Masen and this is Jasper Whitlock."

Jasper offered his hand to the detective who was looking at them strangely.

"Are you guys related?" he asked curiously. Even though they looked totally different, he had already picked up the similarities in skin tone and eye colour.

"No, we're not, but you're not the first person to say that," Jasper responded. "Would you like coffee?"

"Tea, if you have it?"

Jane stood up from her desk. "I'll make the tea, Doctor Masen. Would you or Mr. Whitlock like coffee or tea?"

"No thank you," they replied in unison.

"We'll be in Monza, Jane," Edward said as he walked away from her desk, beckoning the detective to follow him. Edward shot Jasper a look and he immediately picked up that Edward was telling him to be on his guard so he nodded to confirm that he'd got the message.

As they walked down the corridor towards the meeting room, the detective noticed the names of the labs.

"Who's the racing enthusiast here?"

"My late uncle, Professor Anthony Masen. It was his one and only distraction from his research. He passed away a few months ago."

"Yes, I remember. He was quite the man by all accounts."

"He was, and he's greatly missed by everyone."

Edward opened the meeting room door and ushered the detective through.

As they were waiting for Jane to bring in the tea, Edward appraised the man sitting opposite him across the conference table. He was probably in his late thirties or early forties; fair haired, clean shaven and very smartly dressed in an immaculate and very expensive looking suit. His eyes were unusually bright blue but Edward spotted he was wearing contacts, and wondered whether he was wearing the type that enhanced his natural eye colour. Then Edward noticed the indentation of an absent wedding ring on the third finger of his left hand and guessed, correctly, that Detective Samson was recently separated or divorced.

There was a gentle knock on the door and Jane appeared with a tray, with a china teapot, cup and saucer, sugar bowl and milk jug and placed it on the table. Edward grinned.

"Jane, have you been watching Downtown Abbey by any chance?"

Jane laughed and blushed slightly. "You know me too well, Doctor Masen. 'If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well', my mother used to say, and she was English. I'm a bit of an Anglophile, and I make no apology for that."

Jane poured the tea for the detective then left the room, closing the door with a gentle click.

Edward pretended to clear his throat then started the conversation.

"How can we help you, Detective Sansom?"

"Please call me Brad. Is it alright if I call you Ed and Jasper?"

"I prefer Edward, but that's fine."

"Okay Edward and Jasper, let's get down to business. Your girlfriend, Bella Swan, and your wife, Alice Whitlock, were allegedly out of town when their office was sprayed with bullets. Now that sort of attack is an unusual thing to happen in this part of the world and, I must admit, your lack of concern bothers me. If that had been my wife or girlfriend being targeted by what looks like a hit mob, I would have been up at the precinct banging my fists on the front desk, wanting to know what the hell was happening and demanding protection. Also, you have just asked me how you can help _me,_ which is a strange thing to say when it is me who should be helping you?"

Edward was a bit taken aback by this opening statement. He had pre-empted every question he thought the detective would throw at them, but not this one. He thought very quickly about how to respond.

"First of all, Brad, Bella and Alice _are_ out of town; there is nothing 'alleged' about that so I object to your inference that we're covering up that they were around when this happened. I don't know if you are aware, but Bella is a forensic scientist, and until very recently she worked for Seattle CSI. After the death of her superior officer, she led the forensic team investigating the recent serial killer case and is held in high regard by the police service from which she has only recently resigned. Also, her father is a Chief of Police, so she's had years of experience of being around crime and its consequences. I spoke to Bella immediately after we were told about the incident and she advised me to wait until you contacted us, as you probably had enough on your plate. I'm sorry that we didn't react like normal citizens and cause mayhem in the precinct but we are slightly better informed than most."

Brad's eyes widened as Edward laid it on the line that he wasn't dealing with your average Connecticut resident, however Brad wasn't going to be distracted from his agenda, which was to put the fear of God into this meddling family in order to stop them interfering with matters that were no business of theirs. He had a good reason for meeting them on their territory and not at the precinct, where their conversation might be overheard, and Edward Masen name-dropping Bella Swan's contacts was not going to divert him from what he came to do.

"Alright, I accept they were out of town when the attack happened as they would either be in the ICU or the morgue by now. But this is a fairly quiet part of the world, Edward; not much goes on here. In the last week however there's been a massive fight outside a high school involving alleged drug dealers, an explosion where two women were robbed and murdered and now a shooting in broad daylight in the middle of the town. From what I gather from pulling all the information I have together, your family has been closely involved or nearby each event, plus I've just learned that one of your cars was vandalized recently. Would you like to give me a good reason why I shouldn't presume that your family aren't in some way connected to all these crimes?"

Jasper was already incensed by the tone of Brad's questions and responded angrily.

"If the police had been doing their job properly and not ignoring the pleas for help from parents to do something about these drug dealers, then maybe we could have avoided the incident outside the school altogether and my wife and Edward's girlfriend wouldn't now be targets. The explosion in the shop may have nothing to do with what's going on in this town as there's nothing to connect the two incidents as far as I'm aware. The fact that it happened half a mile from our home is probably coincidence."

"True, it might be, but then again it might not."

"Agreed, which puts my wife and Bella in even greater danger. So, Brad, if you are offering to help us, what have you got in mind? 24-hour surveillance, an armed guard, tell me what 'protection' you're offering and who are you protecting us from? The police seem to be ignoring the fact that there's a gang in town dealing drugs to all and sundry. Are they also going to ignore the fact that these murdering assholes are hiring hit men to kill anyone who goes after them?"

Jasper was bristling with anger and Brad knew that the onus was now on him to come up with some answers. However he decided to go on the offensive again.

"Are you accusing the police of ignoring calls from the public and turning a blind eye to drug dealing? If you are, can you justify those statements by offering any evidence?"

Edward decided to answer this one as Jasper was seething.

"The parents have told Bella and Alice that they've called the police many times when the dealers are actually outside the schools, in full view, blatantly selling drugs, but they disappear before the police arrive and the parents believe they're being tipped off. Also, when you guys make an effort and lie in wait for them, they never show up, again as though they've been tipped off. There are drug deals going down all over town yet no-one gets arrested. Can _you_ justify that?"

It was Brad's turn to get angry.

"So, you're telling the police how to do their job now?"

"Well, somebody has to. You're doing fuck-all about this so far."

Jasper dived in then.

"My wife and Edward's girlfriend have been trying to help these parents and you're accusing _them_ of causing the recent problems in the town. The problem is the dealers. What are the police doing about them? Who's tipping them off? Who's allowing them to brazenly sell drugs knowing that they won't be arrested? A corrupt police force, that's who. If Alice and Bella had been murdered in their office, I can almost guarantee that you guys would have blamed it on a pissed ex-husband getting his own back, not a drug lord who's probably supplementing your pensions. So stop with the shit right now and take some responsibility before someone gets killed."

Brad was going purple with rage. He was used to being in control of this type of interview and not being asked to apologise for the failings of his department. It was as though Edward and Jasper weren't bothered about the consequences of upsetting the local police force. Brad was well aware what was going on in the precinct; the back-handers that came his and other colleagues' way when they turned a blind eye to what was going down, were paying for the college education for quite a few officers' kids and his cut had paid for his divorce and a very nice lifestyle. Everything was going swimmingly until CSI turned up in his town and interfered. He stood up from his chair as he wasn't going to put up with this anymore.

"If you're talking about responsibility, why haven't you two eunuchs got any control over your women? This is a man's game here; it's not for two ditzy females messing with something that's out of their league. You tell them to back off, or they'll be in trouble for causing all the problems in this town and you'll be responsible if anything happens to them."

Edward was on his feet.

"Are you threatening them? Anybody listening to what you're saying would think that you consider _them_ to be the criminals here. Believe me you're going to regret what you've just said as we're not letting this go. For your information they are not 'ditzy females'; they are strong and courageous women and Bella has seen more serious crime in her six years with CSI than you will see in a lifetime in this sleepy town. Also, you Philistine, this is the 21st century; women are not 'controlled' by men anymore; maybe having that attitude ruined your own marriage?"

Brad was bristling with anger now. Ways in which he could get revenge on this arrogant pair were tumbling through his head. Unfortunately, the Masen family were highly regarded in this town and were the main employer, bringing money and status to this part of Connecticut, so that might make it difficult to fuck them over. He was going to check up on Bella Swan though as soon as he got back to his desk, but from what Edward was saying he might have difficulty discrediting her. He would have to work out a way to stop them though as he relied on his hand-outs from Louis, and no jumped up scientist from Seattle was going to mess up his arrangement.

"I think this interview has come to an end," he hissed. "I intend interviewing Alice and Bella as soon as they return, and in the meantime I'm warning you not to carry on with your investigations or I'll put the whole family under arrest."

Jasper was also on his feet now, but Edward got in before Jasper had a chance to open his mouth. He leaned over the table and pointed a finger straight into Brad's face.

"Is that so? Well, Brad, we're warning _you_ that my family are taking this further. My father happens to know the Attorney General very well. They were at Yale together. So if you put one foot wrong in this investigation, he will know about it. If you ignore one more call about drug dealers working in this area, he will know about it. If anything untoward happens to Alice or Bella or any other member of my family, he will know about it. Deal with that, asshole."

Brad's face drained of colour. He knew immediately that he'd made a serious mistake trying to get this family to back off. If Edward's father really knew the Attorney General he was in deep shit, and so was the reset of the precinct. He would have to think carefully about what his next move would be but he would have to deal with these two quickly before they did any further damage. Without saying anything else he walked out the meeting room, slamming the door behind him, and made his way out of the building without signing out.

Jasper and Edward slumped in their chairs while the implications of what had just gone down hit home.

"I didn't know Carlisle knew the Attorney General. Is that true?" Jasper said, grinning.

"Yes, but they're not best buddies. They just meet up at Yale reunions. They had rooms next to each other for two years."

"Are you going to report Brad to him?"

"I sure am! Look up there."

"Where?"

"Corner of the room. That might look like a security sensor but it's actually a video camera. The whole interview was being recorded. I'll get Ace to send dad a copy to forward on to the Attorney General's office."

"Excellent. I wonder if the camera picked up that he was wearing a Rolex. About twenty thousand dollars of bling I would guess. They pay the police well in this part of Connecticut, don't they!"

Edward chuckled at the joke, but he was now guessing that Brad was on his way back to the precinct plotting how to make their life as difficult as possible. He was regretting letting his anger get the better of him and now he had made the family a possible target for reprisals from the very people who should be protecting them. He had also raised the family's profile, which was the last thing they wanted.

"I'm going to call Bella and tell her to stay in Forks a bit longer, Jasper. I don't want her anywhere near Brad Sansom or Connecticut until this is sorted."

"Agreed," Jasper replied.

"Right, we'd better go back to the other task in hand and find out who our visitor is."

Edward stood up and felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket.

"It's Bella," he said as he flipped it open. "Hi, Darling. Have you reached Chicago yet?"

"No, Edward. We've turned around and we're on our way back."

"Why? What's happened?"

"Alice has had a vision and we've got to deal with it now."

"What sort of ...?" But Edward stopped what he was saying as he remembered his words were being recorded.

"I don't know, but Alice says we're all in danger and Aro is involved."

Edward sat back down again as the memory of Alec's promise of retribution came back to him. He saw Jasper's eyes widen, then narrow with anger.

"This is Alec's doing, isn't it?"

"I guess so. Alice is being very tight lipped; she won't say any more until we're home. I'm frightened, Edward. I can't cope with all this trauma anymore."

"I know you can't. Get home as fast as possible. I want you close beside me, and Bella, we're never going to be apart again. When I saw you drive off, I regretted letting you go straight away. When you see your dad again, I'll be there with you, I promise."

"Thanks, Edward. I love you."

"I love you more."

Edward flipped the phone shut. Jasper had heard every word and was looking very concerned.

"Aro?" was all he could say.

"Shit!" was Edward's response.

* * *

Edward and Jasper stared at one another across the meeting room table, attempting to grasp what Bella had just told them, that once again they were in mortal danger. After a few moments of contemplation, Edward got up and gestured Jasper to follow him into the corridor where they could talk in private.

"I'm sorry for all of this, Jasper."

"Why are you apologising? We're in this together, whatever 'this' is."

"I'm apologising because you and Alice had lived happily together for over a hundred years. We've come into your life, and all hell's been let loose."

"You're forgetting, Edward, that Peter's arm was what caused all this, and that was our mistake to start with."

"I suppose so, but it was mine and Bella's curiosity that perpetuated the problem. If Bella had just reported the arm to Victoria, none of this would have happened."

"True, but government scientists would have got hold of it, Aro would have found out and Alice and I would have been for the high jump. Your dad would have died and Anthony wouldn't have lasted much longer anyway. It's our problem too; don't think about taking ownership of this."

"If you say so, but until Alice gets home we don't know what we're up against. Why is he pissed at us? I can't believe it's because we killed Alec; we had every right to defend ourselves. There must be something else."

"Agreed. If Alice knows, then there's no point in us speculating now and wasting time. We've got other problems to contend with like your mole. Let's at least try and sort this out before the girls get home then there'll be one less problem hanging over us. Those security sensors, is there a camera in every lab?"

"Yes, apart from Anthony's. The pictures taken are stored on a system that has a back-up memory of two weeks. I'll pay Ace a visit and find out who's been in Ben's lab in the last few days. Can you go to Reception and take a look at the visitor's book to see who's signed in recently. Jane will know who's been in and out, so ask her for the names of anyone who isn't a member of staff who's been around for any reason."

Jasper made his way to Jane's office and Edward headed towards Ace's room, but before he got there he sent a text to Bella telling her not to worry and he couldn't wait to hold her in his arms again. Being apart from her was killing him and he knew that when she returned he would make sure they would never spend a night away from each other ever again, no matter how long they lived.

* * *

Edward banged on Ace's window and entered his lab. There were several other IT staff sitting at their desks staring at computer screens and they looked up when Edward walked in.

Edward spoke in a loud voice.

"Would you all mind leaving the room for about half an hour. I need to speak to Ace confidentially and to extract some sensitive information from the files."

Ace's face looked surprised but he didn't say anything until the room was cleared and it was just the two of them.

"What's happened?"

"Our mole. Don't ask me how I know, but he's recently been in Ben's lab and I need you to go back over the security tapes to see who's been in there. The last three days should do it."

"Okay boss. I would suggest you make yourself comfortable; this might take some time. Make yourself a coffee while you're waiting."

"I've given up coffee, Ace."

"Why am I not surprised at that?" Ace muttered in response.

"Why did you say that?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Tell me."

"I still reckon you're a Stepford robot. One day your eyes will fall out and everyone will be able to see the machinery in your head. Weirdo!"

"Very funny."

"Whatever. Three days ago you say; let's have a browse through the back-up files then."

Just as they got started Jasper banged on the glass to attract their attention. Edward got up from his seat and opened the door but Jasper didn't come in.

"Can I have a word in private?"

"Sure, Jasper, but you really can say anything in front of Ace."

Jasper shrugged his shoulders and walked in carrying the visitor's book in his hand open at yesterday's pages. He laid the book on the desk and pointed to an entry that was made at ten in the morning. As soon as Edward saw the name he made a hissing sound, which was as near to a sharp intake of breath as he could manage."

"Tom Wolfe," he spat. "Ben's brother. That's why you said…" and then he stopped himself from saying "That's why you said they smelled similar," as Ace was watching the conversation with fascination.

"What do you know about him?" Jasper asked, surprised that Edward was obviously antagonistic towards this particular person.

"Tom _is_ a genius, even more so than his brother. When Ben and I were collecting our PhD's, Tom was just about to start at MIT. He's quite a bit younger than Ben because there's a middle sister in between them who studied law at Harvard."

"Clever family," Ace commented drily.

"Yes. All three are highly intelligent and ambitious, but not well-connected, so they got where they are now through hard work and diligence and not by knowing the right people. Tom had a particularly large chip on his shoulder about this and we had several arguments about privileged kids getting the plum places in Ivy League universities."

"What did Tom study at MIT?" Jasper asked.

"Electrical engineering and computer sciences. He's doing his Master's now I believe."

"What's his thesis," Ace asked. "Industrial espionage?"

Edward didn't laugh but shook his head wearily.

"There's something else between you two, isn't there?" Jasper asked.

Edward nodded and then uttered one word.

"Annabel."

"I knew it would be a woman," Ace said, sighing as he put his head in his hands as though he had been there, done that.

"Who the hell is Annabel?" Jasper cried. "I feel like I'm in the middle of soap opera!"

Edward took a deep breath at the beginning of his explanation, even though he didn't need it.

"Annabel was my fiancée of about three weeks when I met Bella again. I broke off the engagement when I realised I was in love with Bella and had always been in love with her. We were due to have an engagement party at Annabel's parents' place, but it never happened. I haven't seen her since."

"What has Annabel got to do with Tom?" Jasper responded, wondering why he didn't know all this.

"Because I unknowingly stole her away from him and he obviously hasn't forgiven me. They were teenage sweethearts. Annabel was the daughter of one of my professors and Tom went to the same high school as her. Tom brought her with him when he visited Ben at Yale in my fourth year and we got talking and hit it off. I didn't realise at the time that she was related to Professor Edmonds; I just presumed the only connection she had with the university was through Ben. She gave me her number that day but I didn't contact her because she was still a teenager then and I was in the middle of a relationship myself.

About two years ago I was invited back to Yale to have dinner with the Dean and bumped in to her. She was with her parents as Professor Edmonds was retiring from the college the next day and they were down for his retirement party, so we exchanged numbers again and I arranged to meet her. I presumed at the time that she wasn't seeing Tom any more as he hadn't been invited to the party and she didn't mention him. It was only after we'd been seeing each other for about six weeks that she admitted she hadn't broken it off with Tom but would be doing so that weekend. I was angry for a while as cheating isn't my thing, but I thought I was falling in love with her so forgave her.

"When did Tom find out that you'd been seeing her behind his back?" Ace asked. He was actually quite enjoying listening to details of his boss's love life.

"Almost straight away. Annabel finished it, not telling Tom why, but he followed her one night and confronted us in a very up-market restaurant while I was meeting her parents for the first time socially as their daughter's 'boyfriend' rather than as a Yale student. There was a huge argument, which ended up with Professor Edmonds saying to Tom that he would be delighted to have me as a son-in-law as we were from the same social class, which admittedly made me cringe, but of course this rubbed more salt into the enormous chip on Tom's shoulder."

"So Tom hates you for stealing his girl and being an over-privileged shit then?" Ace was rubbing his hands with glee. This was better than Jerry Springer he thought.

"Looks like it. I did try and mend the bridges and Ben helped with that. I wrote to Tom and told him that I had no idea Annabel was still seeing him when we hooked up. I never talk about my private life at work, so Ben was totally unaware I was seeing Annabel and I didn't mention it because it was a new relationship and engagements and marriage were a long way off. Tom eventually calmed down, I thought, and I have met him occasionally at the country club where he was civil but not friendly so I presumed he'd gotten over it."

"So this is just payback," Jasper mused. "How do you think he did it and do you think Ben's involved?"

"I don't know on both counts. I'm going to have to do some investigations, but that shouldn't take too long, now I know who I'm dealing with."

"How are you going to do that?" Jasper asked. "It's going to be difficult to prove, knowing what we know."

"I've got an idea, but it'll mean sewing a few seeds of information and laying a trap. Ace, I'm going to need your help so let's start off with what you can find out. I know the security system is on a two week loop, but does our own system store the images anywhere else?"

"I'm not sure to be honest. We've never had to look back for more than a day when anything happened in the labs. I'll have to check the server."

"Okay. Do all the rooms have cameras?"

"Yes, apart from Anthony's lab and the rest rooms, obviously."

"Great. Jasper, can you look back through the visitor's book and make a note of any days when Tom has been in the lab, even for five minutes, then give that information to Ace so he can check the images taken on those dates."

"Will do. What are you going to do, Edward?"

"A bit of farming! Some seeds need sewing, so I'll see you later."

Edward left Ace's room and made his way to Ben's lab. He knocked on the door before using his swipe card to enter then made his way over to Ben's bench where he was analysing data.

"Looks interesting, Ben. What's the verdict?"

"Good. The latest results look really promising; take a look."

Edward's eyes quickly scanned the reports and he could see that some great strides had been made in this lab. Ben's team were on their way to designing drugs that were tailor-made for patients based on their own genetic make-up rather than using a one-drug-suits-all regime. There was over three years of research here and if successful, this system would make the lab a fortune.

"These results are amazing, Ben. I didn't think you would get this far so soon."

"Neither did we to be honest, but it was your idea in the first place, Edward, so I'm not taking all the credit."

"That's very gracious of you, but I take my hat off to you and your team for all the work that's gone in to this."

"That's what you pay us for, but thanks. Anyway, Edward, have you got any more bright ideas up your sleeve?"

"No, not at the moment. I've been distracted lately as I'm sure you've noticed, but I am anxious to get back to doing my own research. I've decided to continue with the project Anthony was working on. Luckily I've found the memory stick with all his notes on so I can pick up where he left off."

"What was he working on?"

"An absolutely ground-breaking drug that will knock the socks off all our competitors; in fact they might as well shut up shop and go home. It enhances the immune system, but that's all I'm going to say about it at the moment."

"Alright, I'm not going to pump you for information, but if you need any help…"

"You'll be the first one I'll ask."

Edward got up to leave.

"Well done again, Ben. It's great to have some good news for a change, and if I've been a bit off lately, I apologise. I've had a lot to deal with and still haven't got my head around being in charge of this place."

"That's okay. It will be good to have the old Edward back one day, but take your time."

Edward left the room with a cheery wave but as he made his way back to the IT department, his demeanour changed back to one of steely determination to find out whether Ben was involved. He hoped he had lulled Ben into a false sense of security by being friendly and congratulating him on his work, but if Ben was involved in the scam with his brother, Edward was resolved to make sure he would never work in scientific research again. Whatever happened though he was going to have to discipline Ben as he had allowed his brother into the lab. Visitors were welcomed, but were only allowed in the meeting rooms and the canteen, so Ben had already committed a serious breach of security if that was the case.

He let himself in to Ace's lab where Jasper was still going back over the visitor's book making notes of when Tom had visited. He only had about five dates so far but that was enough for Ace to be getting on with.

Edward had never examined the visitor's book before and as Jasper was turning the pages he spotted another date when Tom had been in the building.

"There's one," he said, as his eyes quickly scanned the entry.

As Jasper was writing down the date for Ace, Edward noticed that beside Tom's name and the times he entered and left the building, there was a space where the make and licence plate of his car was registered, just in case it was causing an obstruction in the parking lot. When he read what was written there his expression turned to one of fury.

"BMW," he spat angrily, "and the licence plate has a 'T' in it. The fucking bastard's been following Bella. T-for-Tom; I should have guessed. I'll kill him when I get my hands on him."

"Calm down, Edward." Ace said as he stood up and went to pat him on the back, but Jasper quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed Edward instead, preventing Ace from touching him.

"Ace is right, Edward. Don't get yourself in a state over this. When we've finished with Tom Wolfe, his MIT degree won't be worth the paper it's written on after he's been outed as an industrial spy. All he'll be left with is a criminal record and a massive bill for his education that he won't be able to pay off."

Edward's body relaxed in Jasper's grip so he let him go. "Are you okay now?"

"Yes, I'm fine, sorry."

"Don't apologise; I'm as mad as you are but at least we know who we're after. How did the farming go?"

"I've sowed the seed; now we've got to stand back for a while and watch it grow and see if someone is tempted to pick the fruit."

Jasper and Edward left Ace so he could get on with trying to resurrect the security tapes from the server. Now this mystery was solved they could concentrate on the other more pressing matter that was infinitely more dangerous.

As they walked back towards the reception desk they were both trying to work out what they had done to infuriate Aro again, apart from killing Alec, which in their eyes was justifiable. But until Alice arrived home, their guesses would only be speculation and all they could do was rely on Alice being able to give them adequate warning of what Aro was planning to do to them and why.

* * *

 **A lot of you guessed it was Tom (I thought the 'T' in the licence plate would give away that he was the BMW driver, but no-one picked up on that). You'll hear Tom's side of the story in a couple of chapter's time. He really really hates Edward with a vengeance.**

 **Brad is obviously in the pay of Louis and he is now panicking that Edward is going to use his influence with the Attorney General to end his source of additional income and expose him and some of his colleagues as corrupt, unless he moves fast to silence them. He's not going to hang about, so Edward and Jasper had better be on their guard.**

 **Joan xx**


	18. Chapter 18

**The girls are on their way home, unaware that the police are not going to be cooperative, but Alice has more important things on her mind.**

 **Brad will have to move fast if he's going to stop Edward and Jasper before they contact the Attorney General, which would undoubtedly put a stop to his lucrative deals with the Mafia, so the boys had better be on their guard.**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Siege!

* * *

Jasper took the visitor's book back to Jane on his way to the parking lot. He had errands to run in town for Alice and Bella, which included buying Molly's supplies, finding some more magazines for Esme and picking up some Christmas decorations that Alice had ordered from a store near to the CSI office. As he drove away from the Masen Research parking lot, he didn't notice that a dark blue sedan that was parked along the street had moved away from the curb and had slipped in behind him, hanging back just far enough to avoid suspicion.

Jasper headed towards town which was about ten miles from the lab. He settled himself into the Volvo's comfortable seats, glad that his knees weren't next to his ears like they were in the Porsche. He switched the radio on, tuning it to a Country station. Alice hated Country music, so he made the most of playing it really loudly when she wasn't in the car and always left it tuned in and turned up, so when she got in to drive the next time it would blast her into the next state.

"You can take the boy outta Texas, but you can't take Texas outta the boy," he shouted out loud to himself, grinning.

About half way between the labs and the town, the road went through an area where there were no shops or houses, just open scrub land on either side. The sedan was still hanging back, but if Jasper had been concentrating on what was behind him instead of singing at the top of his voice, he would have noticed the front seat passenger reach onto the back seat and pick up a rifle then aim it at his car.

Several times when the gunman was ready to fire he had to drop his rifle onto his lap because a steady stream of vehicles would be passing in the opposite direction and he cursed his bad luck.

"Move closer you fucking moron," he spat at the driver, who instantly put more weight on the gas pedal until they were only about fifteen yards from the rear of the Volvo's trunk. As he positioned the rifle again, he noticed that the Volvo driver's shoulders looked more man-sized than a girl's, which was not what he was expecting, but his instruction from Louis was to shoot anyone who was driving a silver Volvo with that licence plate and that was what he was going to do.

When there were no cars coming towards them, the gunman took aim at the back of the driver's head, but just as his finger touched the trigger, flashing blue lights filled their car.

"Fuck!" he yelled, and threw the rifle onto the floor out of sight as the driver took his foot off the gas. But they needn't have worried because the patrol officer's car skilfully drove past them, positioning itself behind the Volvo, then they turned on their siren.

The sedan driver took his foot off the gas and slowly dropped back as the cars in front pulled off the road onto a grass verge. As they drove past the parked vehicles, they were trying to work out what was going on as the Volvo hadn't been speeding. The gunman took a good look at who was driving so at least he could report that back to Louis and saw that behind the wheel was a fair-haired man, probably in his late twenties or early thirties.

They slowed right down so they could watch what was happening through the back window and saw the officers getting out of their car and immediately draw their weapons and aim them at the driver who had remained in the car with his hands in clear view on top of the steering wheel. As their car approached a bend in the road they heard two loud gunshots. The driver slammed on his brakes so they could keep the Volvo in view and they witnessed the officers walking back to the patrol car, which then swiftly turned in the road and disappeared in the opposite direction.

The driver put his foot hard on the gas and drove away from the scene as his passenger burst out laughing.

"Louis will piss his pants when we tell him what's happened," he said when he had calmed down. "He won't need to pay for a hit if the cops are doing the job for free!"

* * *

Alice and Bella were making good progress on the Interstate heading back to Connecticut. Ohio was behind them and mile upon mile of Pennsylvanian farmland was flashing past as they tore along the freeway. Alice's face was a picture of concentration as she sought through her jumbled mind for more details of what was going to happen, but despite pleas from Bella she refused to say a word until she got home and even then she was debating how much information she would be willing or able to disclose to her family. Events in the future were becoming clearer with each mile they travelled, but Alice was seeing several different scenarios and couldn't get her head around what was going to happen as she was seeing faces she didn't recognise and couldn't tell whether they were humans or vampires.

They stopped to refuel and as they were pulling out of the gas station Alice's cell phone rang. She pressed the loudspeaker button on the steering wheel and Mike Donnelly's voice came through loud and clear.

"Hi Mike, any news?"

"Yes, good news, Alice. Caroline and Joe staked out the kennel they use and a guy on a motorbike followed a car home. Caroline has informed the police so they're going to hide in the house and wait for these assholes to break in."

"That's fantastic, Mike. Let me know what happens."

"Will do. I don't know how you girls worked it out. Are you psychic or something?"

Alice laughed.

"It was Bella's idea at first, then pure guesswork Mike, that's all. Let's hope we can put a stop to this gang once and for all."

"Any news yet about who attacked your office."

"No, not yet. I'm sure the police are on the case though. We're not going back there until it's sorted, so will be working from home."

"Okay. I'll be in touch when I have some more news. Bye."

"Bye, Mike."

Alice finished the call and grinned at Bella.

"That's one bit of good news at least. I wonder how Jasper and Edward are getting on with the detective."

"I'm sure they'll be fine. I mean, what on earth could go wrong?"

* * *

Jasper pulled himself up from the position he allowed his body to fall in to when he faked being shot. He had heard the patrol car pull away but he played dead for a few more minutes just in case they were still in the vicinity. Fortunately they had shot him in the chest and his padded winter jacket had absorbed the bullets. If they'd have shot him in the head, the bullets would have bounced off his skull and that would have been impossible for him to cover up without having to permanently silence the cops, which was something he didn't want to do, even to corrupt cops.

He pulled his cell from his inside pocket. Luckily it wasn't damaged so he called Edward who answered almost immediately.

"Jasper, what's up?"

"Two cops have just pulled me over and shot me. I actually don't know what to do?"

"Where have they shot you?"

"In the car."

"I didn't mean that. Where on your body?"

"My chest."

"Where are you?"

"About a mile outside town."

"Alright. Keep on driving towards town. Just before you get there, there's a gun store on the right. Go in there and buy Kevlar jackets for all of us. Put yours on under your clothes then get yourself back to the lab. If the police follow you, keep driving; don't stop this time even if they start shooting. I'm going to call dad to see if he can get the Attorney General to put a stop to this."

Jasper snapped his phone shut and slung it on the seat next to him. He looked up and down the road for any evidence that his car was being watched by the police but they had disappeared.

"Welcome to the world of Jack Bauer, Jasper Whitlock," he muttered sarcastically to himself as he started the engine.

He waited until he saw a line of cars approaching on his side of the road then slipped in between them for safety. As he approached the town he saw the gun shop on the right and parked out front. Before he went in, he took off his padded jacket as he didn't want to frighten the staff if they saw he was wearing bullet-ridden clothes, so he walked in just wearing his T-shirt.

The shop was empty apart from a heavily bearded man who was behind the counter at the back of the store.

"Can I help you sonny?" he called out as he walked in.

"I'm looking for Kevlar jackets."

"Down this end, boy. What you needing Kevlar for? Are you expecting World War Three to start any time now?"

"No. They're not just for me. I work for this guy who's paranoid that his life's in danger. He's sent me out to get some bullet-proof jackets just in case someone takes a pot shot at him and his family. He's nuts!"

The shopkeeper laughed.

"Must have a guilty conscience then; asshole!"

"Something like that."

Jasper grabbed six jackets of varying sizes and paid for them with his credit card. He left the shop and threw five of them in the trunk then put his one on under his jacket which he only just managed to zip up because of the extra layer.

He swung the Volvo around and waited for another line of traffic and pulled in. As he was driving the ten miles back to the lab, he was constantly looking around for the police, but the journey was uneventful and he pulled into the lot and parked beside Edward's Porsche.

Before entering the building, he took off both his jackets and left them on the front seat. His T shirt only had slight burn marks where the bullets hit, but fortunately the material hadn't been torn, so apart from being under-dressed for a chilly December day, his attire wouldn't raise any eyebrows. Dan was waiting for him and told him that Doctor Masen would be in Professor Masen's lab. As Jasper walked down the corridor he realised he was shaking, which was an unusual reaction for a vampire and one he couldn't recall experiencing for years. He thought back to all the horrors he had witnessed and endured since being changed during the civil war, but being shot point blank by two police officers had shaken him to the core and he was feeling the effects all over his body.

Edward was holding the lab door open for him and he could tell that Jasper was in a state so he guided him over to a stool and sat him down.

"I'll be okay before you ask, Edward. I'm just a bit shocked at the moment plus I really need to feed very soon. Have you called your dad yet?"

"Yes, he's on the case."

"Don't tell me he actually has the Attorney General's number stored on his cell?"

"No, _he_ hasn't, but the Dean at Yale has his direct line. The University's 'old boy network' is now in full swing and they are contacting him urgently on our behalf."

"Thank God for that but you must realise that if the police are after us we're in real danger from being revealed to the general population. If this isn't resolved today, we're all going to have to disappear immediately. We must make sure the girls stay out of the state until it's safe and I don't think we should leave this building until we've heard back from Carlisle or the Attorney General. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

They sat for about half an hour talking about what had happened then both jumped as Edward's cell phone rang.

"Dad! Have you had any luck?"

"Yes. I've told Greg everything you told me and sent him the recording. He's furious, so he's ordering the Hartford FBI down to the precinct. They're going to tear the place apart so stay put until we get the all clear. Is Jasper okay?"

"He is now."

"How far away are Alice and Bella?"

"I'd guess they must be coming close to the state line by now. I'll call them and tell them to stop for a while. Maybe they can go hunting to kill some time, which is something Jasper and I need to do urgently as well."

"Alright, Edward. Try and stay out of trouble and stay in touch."

"Will do, and dad, if you hear or see a patrol car coming down the track, get out of the house immediately. Don't hang about to see whether they're the good guys or not; both of you just run as fast as you can."

"Okay, son. Don't worry about your mom and me."

"I'll try not to."

Edward put the phone down and stared at Jasper.

"What the fuck is going on, Jasper? We're under siege. The Mob are after us, the police are after us and the Volturi are after us. What the heck is going to happen next?"

As he said that, the internal phone rang.

"What!" Edward shouted down the line.

"Jesus! You nearly perforated my ear drum."

"What do you want, Ace?"

"I think you'd better come along to my room, PDQ."

Edward put the phone down without confirming and Jasper followed him out the door. When they approached Ace's room they passed his colleagues who were all filing out for another impromptu coffee break, so Edward and Jasper knew this was something serious."

"What does PDQ mean?" Jasper whispered to Edward.

"Pretty damn quick," Edward replied, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "Have you never heard that before?"

Jasper was shaking his head as they walked through the open door of Ace's room. As they approached his desk they saw CCTV images on Ben's screen from the cameras that were mounted on the perimeter walls looking outwards. As Edward and Jasper moved closer, they could see armed police taking up positions behind bushes and parked cars; their guns pointing towards the building.

"Shit!" Edward exclaimed. "What the hell is going on?"

"He flipped his phone open and called Carlisle, who answered straight away."

"Have you got Greg's direct number now, dad?"

"Yes, why?"

"Call him immediately. The lab is surrounded by armed police and I bet they haven't come here to chat. I don't know what Brad has told them, but I can't believe that all these guys are bent cops."

"Okay, Edward. Hang up and I'll get back to you."

Edward flipped his phone shut and turned to Ace.

"Put the building in lock down, now. No-one is to enter or leave the building until its safe out there."

Ace got up from his chair and walked over to a panel on the wall and hit a large green button. Immediately an alarm sounded and all the external doors automatically locked. Steel shutters appeared from hidden recesses in the brickwork and dropped down covering all the external doors and windows. As the lights went on throughout the building, an emergency notice was displayed on every computer screen telling the staff to leave their desks and to assemble at emergency points inside the building away from the external walls.

When the alarms stopped, Jasper walked away from the desk and called Alice and told her to stay out of Connecticut until he called and he would explain why later.

Edward was still watching the CCTV images and he smirked when he saw the reaction of the police when they saw the building being turned into a bunker. They crawled out of their hiding places knowing that the element of surprise had gone, and stood around in full view of the cameras waiting for instructions.

A few minutes later Edward's cell rang. It was Carlisle.

"Dad, what's happening?"

"Greg says that the Chief at the local precinct is trying to convince the FBI that Masen Research is just a front for its real purpose, which is an illegal drug factory. The FBI have torn the Chief a new one and have ordered the armed police to stand down. An APB is being issued for the two patrol officers for attempted murder and for Brad for conspiracy to commit murder and corruption."

"Have you told Greg that Jasper was wearing Kevlar when he was shot?"

"Yes, I told him that we've all been wearing Kevlar since Alice and Bella's office was attacked. Greg told me he wears Kevlar all the time when he's out in public."

"Thanks dad. Sometimes it is good to have friends in high places."

"Too right. The old boy network certainly saved our bacon this time."

Edward hung up and the three of them watched the police wandering back to their vehicles, some looking at bit despondent as they were probably hoping to have a bit of action, which was a rarity in this part of the United States.

Ace had kept quiet during the whole episode, but now he was looking in wonder at Edward and Jasper, as nothing like this had ever happened in his life before.

"Would you guys mind telling me what's going on," he said. "I know you pay me well, but being surrounded by gun-tottin' police officers is not what I expected when I signed on or I would have asked for danger money on top. Is this going to be a regular occurrence at Masen Research and should I be investing in a Kevlar waistcoat as well?"

Edward laughed grimly and sat down next to Ace. He deserved an explanation and also a bonus, as it had been his idea to install the steel shutters as soon as he arrived. Edward at the time thought it was a bit over the top, but Anthony had agreed to have them installed for added security.

"To cut a long story short, Ace, Alice and Bella opened a detective agency in town. Recently they were hired by some parents to find out who was supplying drugs to school kids and they ended up upsetting the local mobsters and some corrupt policemen. The agency was targeted yesterday by hit-men and sprayed with bullets but luckily the girls weren't there. We were visited by a detective this morning and threatened with arrest if we didn't back-off and then Jasper was shot in the chest by two cops this afternoon and left for dead. The detective was obviously trying to silence us quickly before we had a chance to contact the Attorney General and tell him that he had corrupt policemen in Connecticut in the pay of drug dealers."

"So the police were going to shoot first and ask questions later?"

"Yes, but I'm presuming that the majority of the cops out there thought they were on a regular drug bust. We're guessing that the detective who visited this morning put the word out that we were running an illegal drug factory and once they had stormed the building, I would have been killed in the raid. With both Jasper and me dead, the conversation this morning would never have taken place and Alice and Bella would be unprotected."

"Amazing, so not what I thought at all."

"What did you think it was all about then?"

"I told you. You two are from Midwich or Stepford, or maybe you're X Men. You've got an evil plan to take over the world."

Ace said the last sentence in a cackling voice, like the Wicked Witch of the West, then burst out laughing when he looked at Edward and Jasper's stunned faces.

"Very funny; you'll have me in stiches!" Edward muttered as he tried not to smile. "You can give the all clear now and raise the shutters, and thanks for keeping us safe. I'm grateful, you know that."

Ace grinned then started humming the theme tune to 'The Twilight Zone' as Jasper and Edward left the room, but as they closed the door Edward thought he heard Ace say something so turned back to ask him what he was talking about, as he heard him clearly say out loud,

 _"No, it's not possible,"_

but Ace was drinking from a bottle of water and couldn't possibly have said anything so clearly.

Neither of them said anything as they were walking slowly and carefully back to Anthony's lab, but as soon as they closed the door Edward turned to Jasper with a worried look on his face.

"Do you think he knows?"

"No, I don't. If he had any idea he'd be fearing for his own safety. But he does suspect something and he may well work it out for himself. You say he's got an IQ of over 200; he'll be quicker on the uptake than the majority of the human population, won't he? "

"Yes, I suppose he will. But if he did work it out, he's hardly likely to come out and say it to our faces. At the moment it's just a joke; he thinks we're human guinea pigs and he's having fun taking the piss. I've a feeling I'll know when the penny drops, as his demeanour will change towards us."

"I think you will too. You don't realise it Edward, but your intuition about what others are thinking is getting stronger every day. You picked up immediately that Brad was hostile towards us. It wouldn't have occurred to me until he started speaking that he was on a mission to threaten us, but you spotted it straight away, didn't you?"

"Yes, I could almost hear what he was thinking. It was really weird, like I was tuning into two radio stations at the same time, but his station was jumbled, but I still realised straight away that he would be on the offensive. It was the same with Ace as we were leaving; I thought I heard him say something, but he didn't speak out loud."

"Well that will be a useful skill to have, so practice it whenever you can. Aro has it, but he has to touch a person first. If I were you, I wouldn't tell the rest of the family about your skills just yet."

"Why not?"

"Would you like to know that your nearest and dearest could read your mind?"

"No, I suppose not, but I don't like keeping anything from Bella."

"Well it's your call. I'll leave that decision to you. So, are you going to contact Bella to let her know it's safe to come back to Connecticut or shall I call Alice?"

"I'll call Bella. After everything that's happened I can't wait to have her back."

"I know how you feel. Shall I stop on the way home and buy some ear plugs for everybody!"

"Do you know, Jasper, that's not a bad idea!"

* * *

Bella flipped her phone closed after a long conversation with Edward that Alice had overheard. Edward told her everything that had been going on whilst they were travelling through Pennsylvania and New York, but reassured her that it was safe to come back home. Before Edward called, Alice had been trying to convince Bella to take a detour to Manhattan so she could do some shopping, but Bella put her foot down and insisted they keep driving until they reached their front door. There was no way she was going to be delayed anymore; she wanted to feel Edward's arms around her and no amount of pleading from Alice was going to make her change her mind.

"Home," she said to Alice, who huffed as she passed a turn-off that would have taken them to one of Manhattan's bridges.

"If you're going to sulk all the way to the coast, Alice Whitlock, I'm going to run the rest of the way. Grow up; I'm not in the mood."

"God, you can be really boring sometimes, Bella."

"Maybe so, but I've got my priorities right. You've just told me that Aro is on the warpath and you still want to go and buy new clothes! I suppose I should be relieved that you think you'll get a chance to wear them and we're not going to be dead this time tomorrow."

"Well if I'm going to die, at least I'll look stylish when I do."

"Don't say another word, Alice, or I'll kill you myself."

* * *

"They'll be home in about three hours depending on traffic, Jasper."

"Do you want to go home now?"

"I suppose we could. I'm not in the mood for work. What time is it?"

"Nearly four. It seems like a hell of a lot has happened in the last six hours."

"Let's pack up then and hit the road."

As they were leaving the lab the internal phone rang. Edward picked it up. It was Ace.

"Good, you're still here General Zod. Can you come back; I've got something to show you."

"We were just leaving, can it wait."

"I think it will be worth the detour."

"Okay, be with you in a minute."

Edward put the phone down wondering what Ace wanted now.

"Who's General Zod?" Jasper asked.

"The asshole from Superman."

"Ah yes, I remember. Another megalomaniac!" he chuckled.

Ace's nose was practically on his screen as they walked through the door. The picture he was staring at was blurred, as though it had been magnified to its absolute limit.

"What are you looking at?" Edward asked.

"A mole, but this one doesn't have fur!"

"Let me see."

Anthony reduced the picture down to a normal size and three figures came into view. On the screen was a frozen picture of Ben sitting in one of the meeting rooms with a cup of coffee in his hands. Standing next to him was Tom, who was handing over a flat package wrapped in brown paper to Anthony who was grinning all over his face. The edge of the package was open and Anthony was in the process of pulling out the contents.

"Move the picture along," Edward hissed angrily. Seeing Tom on the screen with his uncle infuriated him and his palms were twitching, imagining them wrapped around Tom's neck.

Ace let the recording move forward, frame by frame, and slowly the picture of Brooklands Racing Circuit that was hanging on Anthony's wall came in to view. Anthony was obviously delighted with his gift and shook Tom warmly by the hand, then left the brothers alone in the room together.

"I'm not a betting man, Edward, but I would wager my house, my Ferrari and my Lamborghini on finding a camera and microphone embedded in that picture frame. These tapes are from about six months ago, so Tom, and possibly Ben, have been spying on Anthony ever since then. What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't really know, Ace, but if Tom walked in this room right now, I would kill him.

Edward glanced at Jasper and knew what he was thinking without having to use his special ability. If Tom had been spying on Anthony for six months, then he would have seen and heard everything that had happened in the lab, from the moment Edward brought the first specimen in for Anthony to examine, to the night that Jasper and Alice declared themselves as vampires and Jasper snapped Anthony's neck to prevent him from finishing his research and putting them all in danger.

Ace was watching them both intently and he knew by the look on their faces that there was more to this story than Anthony's research being stolen, but it wasn't his place to get involved. But he had one more nugget of information to impart that would seal Tom's fate, and now would be the right time to mention it.

"There's something else you should know about Tom. I've been doing some background research on him as part of my general sweep of friends and family contacts of all the members of staff here."

"You do that?" Edward said incredulously. "Isn't that illegal?"

"Not really. I'm not delving into their medical records; I just check their bank accounts for unusual activity, new friends that appear suddenly and who they're screwing, especially who they're screwing! Pillow talk is dangerous, especially if alcohol's involved."

"Don't tell me, you're bugging their pillows?"

"No, even though I'd like to. That would be fun!"

"You're perverted."

"I know; but you knew that when you hired me."

"What have you found out about Tom then?"

"About nine months ago he came in to some serious money. I don't know how, yet, but he bought himself a company."

"What sort of company?"

"Surveillance. He's an electronics engineer, so nobody would think twice if that was the career he wanted. But there's a twist. Guess who he bought the company from?"

Jasper jumped in as he had already put two and two together.

"John Hodgson?"

"Jane's fiancée?" Edward said. "Do you think he's involved?"

"Possibly, but I doubt it. Tom gave Anthony the picture after he took over the company. I would guess that he bought it specifically for his own espionage goals. It would be interesting to know how many of his gifts are scattered around local businesses, labs, boardrooms, bedrooms even."

"Holy Cow!" Jasper exclaimed.

"This is still only guesswork," Edward mused. "We've got to somehow check if the picture was the source of the leak and if so whether it's still active, without rousing suspicions. Any ideas?"

"Why don't you ask John," Ace suggested. "He's an expert. Would you like me to tap him for information. I'll be discreet."

"Great idea, Ace. If you could do that urgently, I'll have a think about what to do next. Can you go back over all the other days he was in to see if he's planted any other surveillance equipment elsewhere in the building."

"Will do. I'll give you an update tomorrow."

"We're going home now, but call me anytime if you think I need to know something straight away."

Edward followed Jasper out the door. "I'll see you at home; keep your eyes open for anything unusual. We don't know whether Brad or the two patrol officers who shot you have been arrested yet, so be careful."

Edward put his Kevlar jacket on under his own clothes, just in case he was ambushed by the police, then jumped into the Porsche and took off like a rocket while Jasper followed slightly more slowly behind. He could see Edward in front of him, but between him and the Porsche was a dark blue sedan, and even though there was nothing suspicious about the car, there was something niggling him in the back of his mind. Then he remembered a blue sedan had slowly driven past him while the patrol officers were approaching him and he instinctively knew this was the same car.

He hit the Bluetooth control on his steering wheel that connected him to his cell phone and called Edward who answered straight away.

"Edward, you're being followed. Look in your mirror, it's the sedan."

"Fuck!"

"Just drive carefully. Don't forget, there's nothing they can do to hurt you, so stay calm. We're still in a built up area so they're not going to do anything yet and I've got an idea. Keep this phone line open for the moment."

As they approached a road junction where Edward was indicating to turn left, Jasper undid his seat belt ready to jump out the car.

"Edward can you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Pull up at the junction and open your door and put one leg out as though you're going to get out. That will focus their mind on what's going on in front of them so they won't be looking in their rear view mirror."

"What are you going to do?"

"Shred their rear tires!"

"Brilliant. Okay, the junction's coming up now."

Edward rolled the car to a stop at the red light. In his mirror he could see the passenger already had a rifle in his hand so he ducked down, then opened the car door slowly and made as though he was getting out. He could hear the driver saying to the gunman, "Fucking shoot him," but the back window of the Porsche was tiny and he knew the gunman had no opportunity for a clear shot.

He saw Jasper dive out of his car and disappear behind the sedan and within seconds he was back in his car again. Edward quickly closed his door, put his foot on the gas and sped off, anticipating the green light by a couple of seconds. Jasper hung back and watched as the sedan attempted to follow, lurching forward for a few yards, until the back of the car crashed down and the noise of metal spinning against the road surface filled the air. As he pulled around the wrecked car, he saw the faces of the occupants watch in amazement as the Volvo and the man they saw being shot by the police this morning, drive past them then speed off behind the Porsche.

The phone line was still open and Jasper heard Edward laughing, but he didn't know whether it was mirth or hysteria.

"Are you okay, Edward?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just imagining what's going through those asshole's minds. They've just had their tires destroyed by a ghost! I'll see you back at the house."

Jasper watched as the Porsche roared away into the distance. He wasn't going to try and keep up as speed wasn't his thing. He needed time to think anyway, because even though their problem with the police had been sorted, there was still the fact that whoever was behind the drug dealers had put a price on their heads and it was highly likely they knew where they lived. On top of that, Aro was possibly already on his way to destroy the family and he didn't know why.

He had been in difficult situations before, including being in the middle of human and vampire wars, but he wasn't in love then and only had himself to think about. Now he had Alice and an extended family he cared for which gave him a reason to want to go on living. Protecting the people he loved was going to be the most crucial battle he had ever fought and he was determined to win this fight at all costs.

* * *

 **Tom must have seen and overheard a lot of interesting conversations after he bugged Anthony's lab, but if he's been recording them as well, why hasn't he gone to the police already with evidence that Anthony was murdered by Jasper while the family looked on?**

 **Ace is definitely suspicious of Edward and Jasper but his light-hearted digs at his boss could be disguising his natural curiosity, and for someone with such a high IQ, he might be tempted to do a bit of research of his own.**

 **Joan xx**


	19. Chapter 19

**Happy 4th of July to all my American readers. I hope you can steal at bit of time away from celebrating whooping the asses of the inhabitants of this little island to read this chapter. If not, I hope you had a good time and your headaches are not too bad (from the fireworks of course)!**

 **The girls have arrived back in Connecticut and the family are desperate to know what Alice has seen in her vision. Meanwhile, Louis has an appointment with his bosses in New York, who want to know what's been going on in his sector. Carlisle has been experimenting (!) and Ace finds out a bit more about what Tom's been up to.**

* * *

CHAPTER NINETEEN - Secrets

* * *

Jasper and Edward were on the deck as soon as they saw the lights of the Cherokee appear at the top of the track and as Alice swung the car onto the drive, they rushed forward and flung open the doors before Alice had a chance to turn off the engine. Edward pulled Bella off the seat and held her tightly, his lips pressed on the top of her head as he crushed her into his body. If Bella had still needed to breathe she would have been suffocated by now, but she allowed herself to wallow in Edward's protective embrace without complaining because this was what she had been looking forward to. Even though it wasn't PC to think like this nowadays, at this moment in time she needed her man and she felt safer now that she was in his arms.

"God, I've missed you," Edward muttered as he buried his face in her hair. "Don't ever leave me again. You're like a drug to me."

"I've missed you too, Edward. When we left, it was like the moon had covered the sun and the world was getting darker and colder the further we went away. I honestly don't think I'd have made it to Forks now; I was on the point of asking Alice to turn around and come back, even if Alice hadn't had her vision."

"Never again then?"

"No, never again. I know that now."

Edward picked her up and carried her into the house, still holding her close to his body. Her scent was calming him and with every step he felt more relaxed. He was tempted to take her straight upstairs, but he carried on down the hall to the conservatory and set her on her feet. Bella went over to kiss and hug Carlisle and Esme and was pleased to see that Esme was looking more like her 'pre-Alec-encounter' self again.

Jasper and Alice followed behind. They were used to being apart but knew what Bella and Edward were feeling. When they had first met they were inseparable for years and it wasn't until they found a permanent home that they felt capable of being apart for more than twenty-four hours. Alice had suspected when they set off for Forks that Bella would be agitated during the journey and she was surprised she lasted as long as she did, putting her restraint down to the compelling need to see her father again.

As Alice came into the room, everyone's eyes, apart from Esme's, turned towards her, as Alice was the one with the knowledge. They were all desperate to find out what Alec had said to Aro to put them all in danger again, but Edward could sense reluctance in Alice's eyes; or maybe he could read her thoughts.

"You're not going to tell us, are you?" he said, but he didn't say it accusingly; it was said sympathetically as he could tell Alice was struggling.

"No, I can't," she confirmed. She looked at every member of her family in turn. "I _really_ can't, I'm so sorry. If I tell you, it will break this family up forever and I can't risk that. I love you all too much."

Bella couldn't contain herself any longer. She hadn't questioned Alice in the car, but she needed to know what was going to happen to them.

"Can you see us all together in the future, Alice? Are you saying we're all going to survive this?"

"I'm seeing lots of different futures, Bella; some I understand, some I don't. I know if I tell you now why Aro is coming after us, at least two of us will die. If I keep quiet, we might all survive, but how we all survive is still a mystery to me. I'm seeing visions I don't understand and people involved that I've never met. All I'm asking is for you to trust me, please."

Edward had been trying to burrow into her mind, but he couldn't tell if he was really reading her thoughts or second-guessing what she was thinking, but it was enough to make him walk over to her and take her hands.

"I trust you, Alice. If you say there's a risk to two of us, then that means there's a risk to all of us. We're a family so we must stick together, no matter what Aro accuses us of. I know you'll tell us when the time is right, so until then we must ensure all the other problems in our lives are resolved so we can meet this head-on without any other distractions."

Bella walked forward and kissed Alice on the cheek.

"I trust you," she said, "and sorry for being such an ass in the car."

Alice giggled and kissed her back. "Apology accepted," she said, "but you're coming with me to Fifth Avenue as soon as this is over as a penance."

"Okay," Bella huffed and then smiled through gritted teeth.

Carlisle put his thumbs up as a show of support and Esme just smiled. She was half way through a box set of Frasier so wasn't paying much attention.

"What about you, Jasper?" Edward asked. He could see that Jasper was having difficulty coming to terms with his wife withholding something so vitally important from him. Also, as an ex-soldier, he was used to having all the information to hand so he could make a proper judgement about how to deal with a situation, but this time he was rudderless, and he didn't like it.

"Of course I trust Alice," he responded angrily, "but we need to be prepared for what's coming. At the moment we don't know if it's just The Three Amigo's, or it's the whole of the Guard coming for us. At least tell us that, Alice."

"I honestly don't know, but when I do find out I will tell you, I promise."

Jasper looked slightly happier, but only slightly.

"Do you know when they're coming?" Bella asked.

"No, but it's not imminent. I would guess maybe a week, but definitely before Christmas."

Edward pulled Bella in closely to him as reality hit home. It was only four months ago that they were in the same situation but a lot had happened between then and now and he was determined to survive this. He looked over at Jasper and immediately knew what he was thinking, almost as though he was speaking out loud.

"We're not going down without a fight this time, are we, Edward?" was the message Jasper was trying to project.

"No we're not," Edward answered out loud.

* * *

Night had fallen in New York when Louis' car pulled up outside an Italian restaurant. He had driven into the city himself as Frank had disappeared for good and he didn't trust any of the other half-wits who worked for him behind the wheel of his Bentley. The doorman had been waiting for his arrival and had kept the space for him, scaring other would-be parkers away with one of his intimidating stares and a clenched fist.

Louis loved listening to his car door close. It was a heavy door as it was armour-plated, but it glided into place with a gentle thud followed by a hardly discernible click as the central locking protected it from everything other than a nuclear explosion. He straightened his long winter coat that almost reached to the floor and walked from the freezing sidewalk into the warmth of the restaurant where three men wearing identical dark grey suits were sitting at a table smoking cigars, totally disregarding the anti-smoking laws that were upheld everywhere else in the city, but as there were no other diners in the restaurant there was no-one to offend.

A bottle of red wine was already open on the table and a glass was being poured for him before he sat down. The three men raised their glasses as he raised his.

"Salute," they all said in unison, and downed a good mouthful of wine each.

The man sitting to Louis' left started the conversation in Italian.

"So, Luigi, we understand you've been having difficulties in your sector. Would you care to explain why your payments to the family have plummeted this month?"

The speaker, Mario Bennitto, was high up in the organisation and his area covered the whole of New York State, Long Island and Connecticut. He was used to good returns from Louis' business, but his income had dropped dramatically and he wanted to know why. He had heard rumours; first of all from Giacomo, or Jack as he was known in the trade, who was their main drug supplier. Jack had informed Mario that he was unable to make Louis' normal drop because someone had blabbed to the police about where and when and he wasn't prepared to go near Louis or anywhere else in Connecticut until the leak was plugged. Then Mario had heard that Francisco had disappeared off the face of the earth, and as he was his mole, keeping him informed of what was happening in Louis' sector, Mario was suspecting that Louis had murdered him to keep him quiet about what was going on.

Louis swallowed several times, covering his mild panic with a cough. He had thought about what to say on the journey to New York, but there was no point in withholding information or making the situation sound better than it was. Mario had spies everywhere so he had to tell him everything he knew.

"The FBI has moved into the local precinct on the orders of the Attorney General, and all my cops who've been turning a blind eye to my dealers are now squealing like pigs in an abattoir to save their own bacon. We know who's behind it and several attempts have been made to burn them, but even though we've had our best people on the case, they've survived. One was even shot point blank by two cops yesterday, and he's still walking. The bastard must have been wearing a bullet-proof vest."

"Is a rival gang moving onto our territory?" the man to his right asked.

"I honestly don't know. Two young women set themselves up in a detective agency and were hired by some parents to stop the trade outside the schools, but we don't know whether this agency is the real deal or it's a front for something else and they're on a mission to clean up the state ready for their own dealers to move in."

"Two women!" the other two men at the table exclaimed.

Mario shuffled in his seat as though he was trying to restrain himself from getting up and hitting Louis. Instead he pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Are you trying to tell me that two women have caused all this shit? Who have you got working for you, children?"

"Absolutely not, Mario. Francisco hired the best hits available and they swear blind they sprayed the bitches with bullets at their desks, but when the police arrived there were no bodies and no blood. This was after two of my men blew up the wrong house, killing two innocent women."

"Jesus," Mario spat. "So you're telling me that you have no supplies left and no cops in your pocket because of two women?"

"They might just be a front with other people behind them. The women have links to Masen Research, which is a laboratory that produces legal drugs. A young guy has just taken over the company so maybe he's producing his own shit and is trying to remove us so he can move in and take over our patch?"

Mario sat back in his chair and thought carefully about what Louis had just said. His excuse was plausible and would have to be looked in to. If Masen Research was producing illegal drugs, this was serious and he might have to report this further up the chain to see whether anyone in the organisation had inside knowledge of this company. If so, they would either take it over or destroy it, it didn't matter which, but for the moment he would handle this problem himself. He didn't need to tell his bosses in Chicago immediately that one of his sectors was in trouble as that would reflect badly on him, but it would mean a huge feather in his cap if he resolved this problem to the family's advantage.

Mario took a long puff of his cigar and looked at Louis through narrowed eyes. Louis wasn't exactly squirming, but he was obviously nervous and Mario liked that.

"Alright Luigi, I'm taking this out of your hands. You get back to Connecticut and keep your ear to the ground. Report back to me if you hear or see anything about these two bitches or Masen Research. You can get your guys to follow them, but if there's any killing to be done, leave it to the professionals, that means us."

Louis knocked back the last of his red wine and got up to leave as the meeting was obviously over.

"Please apologise to the family on my behalf. This won't happen again, Mario."

"I know it won't. No second chances, you know that."

Louis swallowed again and said goodbye in Italian and left the restaurant. He slid into the Bentley and turned on the engine. He didn't drive off straight away, but sat for a while regaining his composure. He had gone into that restaurant knowing there was only a fifty-fifty chance of him leaving it alive, but Mario seemed to have accepted that the situation he was in was unavoidable.

Even though it was below freezing outside he was sweating profusely and he put it down to nerves. He turned off the heater that had come on automatically but he was still hot and getting hotter. He undid his coat and shuffled out of it, but perspiration was dripping from his forehead, and then his throat started to close up…. and he knew.

"Holy Mary," he whispered harshly as he clutched at his throat, which ended up being the last words Luigi Antonelli ever spoke.

* * *

Mario lifted his cell phone to his ear after punching in a familiar number.

"Enzo, my boy, how are you?"

"Fine, Uncle Mario. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to trawl your database to see whether we have any family members with links to Masen Research in Connecticut. Can you do that for me now?"

"Sure, it won't take long. I'll call you back, uncle."

Mario snapped his phone closed and took another sip of wine. He didn't understand the internet or computers, but he appreciated how useful they could be when he needed information. He would call Enzo, his 18 year old nephew, who would search for what he needed and he would normally get back to him within minutes. Having every member of the organisation list their contacts to companies and institutions all around the world had been invaluable and had saved an enormous amount of time and money when information or assistance was required. The organisation had fingers in every stratum of society and thousands of companies across the United States, but it was a long shot to expect there was someone sitting in Masen Research with connections to the Mafia.

After about five minutes, Enzo called back.

"You're in luck, uncle. The son of one of our brothers in Italy is head of security at Masen Research. His name is Alfonso Caspari."

"Is that Marco's son? Marco and I go back a long way. Is he still in jail?"

"No, he died just over a year ago."

"Shame, he was a good man. Tell me about his son."

"The family lost track of Alfonso and his mother when they left Sicily fifteen years ago, but he turned up at his father's funeral in Naples and we've been watching him ever since. Alfonso is a US citizen now and has recently settled in Connecticut. I'll send you his details."

"Thank you, Enzo, you've been very helpful."

Mario took a long puff of his cigar before imparting the good news to the rest of the table.

"Well well, gentlemen, I think it's about time one of us visited Alfonso Caspari, just to pay our respects to his father of course; don't you?"

"It will be my pleasure to take on that task," one of the other two replied as he finished his wine and took a long drag on his cigar. "I'm sure Alfonso will be surprised to learn that the family are there to support him, whether he wants our support or not!"

"Excellent," Mario replied as he held up the empty bottle as a sign that he wanted another full one. "A new member of the family is always something to celebrate. More wine, Paulo!"

* * *

Edward and Bella were lying on their bed in silence. The only sounds they could hear were the waves rushing over the pebbles on the beach as the tide pushed the sea almost up to the dunes, coupled with the wind whistling through the eaves, rattling the doors and windows. Connecticut was experiencing the first real storm of the winter and the wooden house was shaking as it was buffeted by the icy blasts that were coming straight from the Arctic. It was also shaking due to the antics of their neighbours across the hall who were making out as though they had been separated for two years instead of two days.

Jasper and Alice had disappeared into their room about an hour ago and Bella and Edward couldn't avoid listening to them making up for lost time. Jasper and Alice seemed to have no problem getting it on with an audience in earshot, but Edward and Bella were still having difficulty with their inhibitions, especially knowing that everyone in the house could hear what they were up to.

They had 'got it on' as soon as they came up to the room, but their love-making was gentle and quiet, unlike their neighbours who seemed to have christened every piece of furniture and every wall in their bedroom.

"We must get our own place," Edward whispered to Bella, "even if it's just a beach hut in the dunes."

"That would be great; all we need is a bed and a shower."

"I'll try and find somewhere, even if we don't live in it permanently for the moment. I want to be able to make love to you properly. Also, I'm sick of having to listen to Roger and Jessica Rabbit tearing up their room every night."

Bella giggled into Edward's bare chest then ran her fingers through the soft hair that covered his pecs.

"Hmm hmm hmm," she said as her hand went lower, and lower, until she wrapped it around his cock that was just waking up from its slumber.

"You're not going to waste this, are you, Bugs Bunny?"

"Not likely, Lola. Let me get hold of your fluffy ass and I'll show you what a real-life _rampant_ _rabbit_ can do!"

Edward pulled Bella on top of him and she squealed in delight as he thrust up inside her. As he pounded into her from below, his hands reached up and covered her breasts that were bouncing up and down in time to his efforts. He ran his fingers over her hard nipples then drew her body down towards him so he could lick and suck them in turn. As his mouth covered her breasts, he pulled his knees up so he could continue driving into her forcefully and she moaned in appreciation as her body was jolted forward then pulled back by his hands that were now clamped on her hips.

Edward could feel his climax approaching and he searched for signals in Bella's face to see if she was close, but he was suddenly aware that he didn't need to use his eyes to know what she was experiencing as he was tuning in to her thoughts as easily as if she was vocalising what she was feeling. Even though she wasn't thinking in words, her love for him was radiating off her like a warm glow that was getting hotter and hotter as her orgasm approached, and when she came, he could sense pure devotion and adoration for him pouring out of her.

He didn't need this assurance though; he knew by the messages he was receiving by the look on her face and the way she touched him that she was as much in love with him as he was with her. As he felt the physical effects of her orgasm on his cock, he came with such intensity that he thought he was going to die of pleasure. Knowing for sure that the person you were with loved you so deeply was the greatest aphrodisiac God had ever invented. He didn't need her venom to feel totally satisfied, because he had just discovered what true love really felt like and that was enough for any man.

As he lay there recovering, listening to the storm that was raging around the house, knowing that an even more violent storm was approaching and would be arriving in the next few days, his determination to protect what he had with Bella consumed him.

Unlike four months ago when he was still human, and they had faced the threat from the Volturi with no hope of winning, he was a vampire now, like Aro, and he was young and strong, and this time he would fight. Even though he didn't have Alice's skill of reading the future, he knew for certain that what was going to happen in the remaining days before Christmas would determine the rest of his and Bella's lives for better or worse, and it had to be faced, head on.

He pulled Bella closer to him and kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered.

"Love you more," she replied.

* * *

Early the next morning the family gathered together in the conservatory to work out a plan for the day.

Jasper spoke first saying he had arranged to meet Garrett at the usual place as they needed to replenish Esme's supplies. Alice and Bella were planning to decorate the house for Christmas so offered to stay at home with Esme. Edward and Carlisle were visiting the lab briefly for an update from Ace then they were planning to take the boat out as the storm had dissipated and the weather was looking promising. Tonight they would go hunting as soon as it got dark as all of them were in need of sustenance.

Carlisle had hardly been out the house since the incident with Alec and as Esme had made a rapid improvement and was back to how she was before Alec snatched her, on top of which she seemed much more relaxed now, he was happy to leave her in Bella and Alice's care. Edward also wanted to spend some quality time with his father, just in case it was his last chance before the Volturi descended on them, so he thought taking the boat out would be a good idea.

Jasper set off, heading towards New York. He would be meeting Garrett half way and planned to tell him about Alice's vision. He wasn't going to put any pressure on Garrett and his coven for help, as going up against the Volturi was a very different ball game than the incident with Alec, but he was hoping that the New York coven would be supportive if they needed help.

Edward and Carlisle left the house about twenty minutes later. As is often the case after a storm, the weather was dangerously bright and sunny for the first time in weeks, so they covered up with warm jackets, hats and gloves just in case they were spotted outside.

Edward could sense that Carlisle was itching to say something, so he prompted him to speak.

"What's the matter, dad? You're unusually quiet."

"Sorry, son, I've got a lot on my mind, obviously, but I'm glad Alice and Bella are home. It's strange, but I lived on my own for years, and now I feel I need people around me all the time. I never thought I'd be able to be part of a family again as I'd got used to my own company, but when it's just me and Esme in the house it seems empty and quiet."

"I can understand that. I never thought I'd be able to live in a house with six adults; it's like being back at college."

Carlisle laughed and then his expression became more philosophical.

"You need your own place though, Edward. I'm not going to pretend I can't hear you and Bella in your room and that's not right. You're as good as married to Bella and you should have time alone. As soon as we sort Aro out, the next job will be to find you somewhere to live."

"Thanks, dad. Bella and I have talked about it, but we've got plenty of time ahead of us so there's no rush. I'm really enjoying living with you and mom; it's the best thing that's happened to me since we've been changed and I'm in no hurry to move out. Anyway, mom's recovery is still on-going and I'm not leaving you to take care of her 24/7. She seems a lot brighter in the last day or so, don't you think?"

"Yes, well…"

Edward turned his eyes away from the road and glanced over at Carlisle who was looking slightly embarrassed. Then an image Edward desperately wished he could permanently eradicate from his memory flashed through his mind, but he couldn't, it was there, forever!

"Dad!"

"Yes, son. Your mom and I have had a bit of a kiss and a cuddle if you want to call it that, and after the first time I bit her very gently and some of my venom passed into her. She was a bit confused at first, but I've done it twice since with a bit more venom each time. I really do think the venom is helping and if you've noticed the difference, then I can't be imagining it."

Edward was valiantly trying to disguise the fact that he could see what his father was thinking and responded enthusiastically.

"That's fantastic news, dad. I hope mom improves some more; life will be a lot easier when we don't have to watch her all the time."

"I don't mind, Edward. Just being able to talk to her again is more than I ever hoped for. I just think of all those poor people out there who suffer with dementia and their families who will never have the chance to talk to their loved ones again."

"It's a cruel disease, dad. I need to get back to my research as soon as possible."

Carlisle went quiet for a while as he was thinking about how much Esme had improved since the first bite. There was still a huge gap in her memory, spanning over fifteen years, but she was remembering their honeymoon now as though it was yesterday. He didn't dare hope that she would eventually be fully cured, but maybe there was something in the venom that aided the renewal of brain cells, which gave him an idea.

"Edward, have you ever thought of analysing vampire venom? If it's helping your mother, maybe whatever is in it could help the human population too."

"That's a possibility I suppose, but wouldn't we be risking turning our patients into vampires?"

"Not if we administered it in very small doses, like Homeopathic medicine?"

"It would be worth a try. I could do some experiments first to see whether a tiny drop of venom would have an effect on a human size animal. If the animal didn't turn into a blood-sucking demon, then we could trial it on patients."

Carlisle chuckled at the thought of a vampire sheep and Edward laughed as well, as he could see what his father was thinking. Images of a fluffy white sheep leaping out from behind a tree onto the back of an unsuspecting shepherd or another sheep were flashing through Carlisle's brain and he thought it would be a would be a good plot line for a Pixar cartoon.

"Yes, it would," Edward replied without thinking, "only Nick Park has already done something similar with _The Curse of the Were Rabbit,_ " then Edward realised that he'd answered his father's thoughts and not his words.

It took Carlisle a few seconds to realise what had just happened and he turned in his seat to look at his son and stared at him as though he was looking at him for the first time.

"Edward, what just happened there? Were you able to read my mind?"

Edward nodded his head in affirmation.

"How long have you been able to do this?"

"Just for the last few days, dad. It's been building for a while though but I didn't realise until Jasper pointed it out to me, then it just accelerated. Your mind is the only one in the family so far where I can actually hear what you're thinking in words; everyone else's thoughts are more blurred, like I'm watching the TV with the sound turned down."

"Does Bella know?"

"No, I haven't told her yet. I'm worried it will change our relationship if she finds out, even though I know she loves me unconditionally. Honestly, dad, I'd rather not have it, or at least be able to turn it off."

"It could be very useful though."

"I know, but I'd rather not know what people are thinking of me."

"Can you see into everybody's mind?"

"Some minds are easier than others. Ace for instance; his was the first one where I actually heard words. Alice's mind is very difficult to read. There's so much going on in her brain that deciphering what she's thinking is almost impossible. I tried to pick out what she knows about Aro, but it's like watching a thousand different TV channels at once. I don't know how she gets through the day."

"But you were quick to trust her when she said she couldn't say why Aro was coming."

"Yes. Without a doubt I knew she was speaking from her heart and would have told us if she could. I've always been able to read people well and know who I can trust, which is why I can't understand why my attitude towards Ben has changed suddenly, even before I found out about Tom. I really hope Ben has no idea what's going on; we've been rivals in the past, yes, but I always considered he was honest and trustworthy until recently."

"Maybe he is; maybe Tom is just using him to get back at you because of Annabel."

"I hope so."

"Well you'll soon find out. Are you going to see him today?"

"I'll put my head around the door of his lab, but I'm really only going there to find out what Ace has discovered from the CCTV records. If that bastard, Tom, has put cameras anywhere else in the building, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from tearing him apart."

The sun was still shining brightly when they pulled into Anthony's spot. They waited until there was no-one around to see them then hurried into the safety of the building.

"Keep away from the windows," Edward whispered in his father's ear as Dan greeted them by the main door, which was fortunately set back under a covered awning.

"I'm going to have a chat with Jane for a moment, Edward. I'll be in one of the meeting rooms if you can't find me."

Edward acknowledged Jane at her desk and wandered down the busy corridor to Ace's room. As he banged on the door and walked in, Ace's colleagues all stood up and left the room, so Edward knew that Ace had some interesting news for him.

"Take a seat, Edward. I've got lots to show you and you're not going to like it."

"Just give me the bottom line, Ace. I haven't got the patience to fuck about today. Is Ben involved?"

"I'm not 100% sure at the moment, but if I was a betting man I would say no. Take a look at this."

Ace hit a few keys on his keyboard and an unclear image appeared of Ben's lab. Tom was sitting at the bench while Ben was at the coffee machine as usual. When Ben had his back to Tom, he jumped to his feet and quickly pulled something small from his jacket pocket and placed it on a shelf that was covered with scientific equipment. By the time Ben turned around holding two cups of coffee, Tom was innocently sitting back on his stool as though he hadn't moved.

"What the hell happened there?" Edward asked.

"My guess is that he's spying on his brother as well, as Ben has unrestricted access to what's going on in every lab apart from Anthony's. Tom's bug has managed to by-pass our Wi-Fi as I've trawled our systems to see if there is anything being recorded there, so he must be using a very sophisticated signal in his equipment."

"But how is he managing to pick up the information. Surely he would have to be nearby viewing it on a computer."

"You're absolutely right, so I went for a stroll in the grounds early this morning and guess what I found? On the outside wall of Anthony's lab, by the doors leading to the lake, is a tiny transmitter. This piece of equipment would be able to boost the signal for up to a mile, so somewhere near here Tom has a computer set up recording everything that's been going on in Anthony's and Ben's labs."

"I kill him," Edward hissed.

"I'll help you," Ace replied. "My Mafia connections can bump him off for you if you like?"

Edward raised his eyebrows but didn't respond to the offer which he presumed was a joke.

"Have you spoken to John Hodgson yet?"

"Yes, I asked Jane for his number and called him. He's coming along later with a device that's recently been invented that can detect whether there's any of the latest surveillance equipment in a room."

"Have you told him you suspect we've been bugged."

"No, I just said I'd like to know what's new on the market and he said that this bit of kit is "state of the art," and he kept one for himself when he sold his company. He says I can keep it for a couple of days, so I'm going to sweep every room in the building after everyone has gone home."

Edward ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He was frankly annoyed that Ace hadn't discovered they were being bugged, considering what he was paying him. He knew that Ace hired a company to come in on a regular basis to do checks, but this company was obviously using out-dated kit if they hadn't discovered Tom's devices.

"What do you want to do next?" Ace asked.

"I'm not sure to be honest. I need to think about it carefully. I'm going to have to speak to Ben about Tom being in his lab which is against the lab rules, but at the moment I don't want Tom to know that we're on to him. I've set a trap, and if he is recording everything that happens in his brother's lab, I want to see if he'll take the bait."

"Interesting. I can't wait to see what happens. Anyway, I'll let you know if John's piece of kit turns up any more bugs."

"Thanks, Ace. I'm going out on the boat with my dad later on, so leave a message on voicemail if you can't get hold of me."

Edward got up to leave and as he was going out the door, he picked up a train of thought that was going through Ace's head and it shocked him. As he closed the door behind him he knew that Ace had noticed that his eyes were almost black, but it was probably Ace's reaction to that sight that almost made his knees collapse because Ace was saying over and over to himself…

"I knew it!"

* * *

 **So, does Ace suspect Edward is a vampire, or a robot, or just super-human? If Edward can read his mind easily, he will know instantly if Ace starts visualising vampires when he sees him next.**

 **Louis/Luigi has bitten the dust and now Mario is after the girls and Masen Research, and he's going to use Ace to get to them. We'll have to wait a while to see what he does, because chapter 20 is all about Tom and his wicked plan to destroy Edward.**

 **Thanks again for your reviews and your guesses. A lot of you are saying that Ace would make a great vampire, but the story is already complete and I can't change it now (well I could, but I don't want to)! You'll just have to wait to see what happens.**

 **Have a stiff drink ready because chapter 20 is going to be a shocker!**

 **Joan x**


	20. Chapter 20

**Louis is out of the picture now, but Mario has discovered that Ace has Mafia links and is obviously thinking he can use him to get his claws into Masen Research. The 'Mafia Family' still has a score to settle with Alice and Bella, so our family had better be on their guard (even though they can't actually hurt them).**

 **Edward is determined to trap Tom, so is focusing his mind on that problem. Meanwhile, Tom is getting impatient. Could he be tempted to take just one risk too many?**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY - Tom

* * *

Edward made his way back to Reception, musing over what Ace had meant by 'I knew it'. Unfortunately Edward hadn't been able to pick up any more of Ace's thoughts as he had immediately gone back into work-mode as soon as Edward left the room, but he knew that the next time he saw him he would be able to delve into Ace's astonishing brain with ease. If he picked up the word 'vampire', he would know that their secret wasn't a secret any more.

Even though their anonymity was important, Edward knew that he had more pressing issues to deal with before Aro arrived on his doorstep. His main problem was Tom; specifically discovering what he knew, what he had recorded and ultimately finding the recordings and destroying them. Edward presumed that Tom had a visual record of Jasper breaking Anthony's neck, but as yet Tom hadn't gone to the police. It was obvious therefore that Tom was holding out for a reason, and that reason, Edward guessed, was that he was waiting for him to complete Anthony's research, as the 'wonder-drug' would be the greatest and most lucrative prize of all.

As he neared the Reception desk, Edward smiled grimly as he imagined Tom's anger when it dawned on him that his decision to delay informing the police about what happened that night had turned out to be his family's salvation. Even though there wasn't a prison cell in the United States that could keep them confined for long, the whole family would be on the run for a century if they became suspects in a murder case. But Edward knew he couldn't risk delaying going after Tom any longer, because if, as he suspected, Tom had enough evidence to turn the family into fugitives, he had to ensure that Tom's recordings never saw the light of day, and that meant drawing Tom into the open.

Edward had decided to lay a trap for Tom and had been formulating a plan to force him into making a quick move out of desperation, hoping that when he emerged from his hiding place, he might be able to follow him back to wherever he was recording what was going on in the labs, then he could get rid of the evidence. He would make absolutely sure that any record of Anthony's death was destroyed, but he would leave enough information on Tom's equipment to allow the police to convict him for industrial espionage, then Tom would realise that his greed through waiting for the big prize had not only saved Edward and his family, but had also led to his downfall.

Carlisle wasn't in the Reception area and Jane was on the telephone, but she scribbled the name of one of the meeting rooms on her notepad and held it up for Edward to see. Edward backtracked and found his father sitting at the conference table, reading a copy of Nature.

"Dad, I've got an idea how we can catch Tom. Can you come with me to Anthony's lab?"

Carlisle followed Edward along the corridor towards Brooklands and after they entered the lab they sat next to the bench, in full view of the painting on the wall.

Edward pulled a memory stick from his pocket and held it in the air.

"I've cracked it, dad. What's on here will make us billionaires. I worked out the solution, carried out some tests and I know now where Anthony was going wrong."

Carlisle took the bait…

"What have you done differently then?"

"It was something you said that put me on the right track. Anthony was working with too concentrated a dose. If you condense it down to a fraction of what he was using, you still get all the benefits without the side effects. I've just picked up the test results and they're everything I hoped for."

"You mean…."

"Yes, you don't need to become super-human like Jasper and Alice; you can remain a normal human being, but with all the benefits of not getting ill and living much longer. Not only that, only a very small amount of the drug will treat hundreds of people instead of just one. It's a win-win result."

"So all the benefits with no super-human strength and agility?"

"Correct. That would have been disastrous. Look I know Jasper is devastated that he had to do that to Anthony, even though he was dying anyway. If Anthony had patented or marketed the drug in its original form it could have created a master-race and all hell would've been let loose on the world. Jasper and Alice are the living consequence of taking a full dose and you know how badly it's affected their lives. Jasper had to stop him because he's living the nightmare. It's just a pity that Anthony didn't fall for the story about Jasper and Alice being vampires. Anybody else would have been scared out of their wits!"

"I must admit you had me going there. When I saw Jasper jump that high I thought he was going to fly around the room."

Edward laughed for the benefit of Tom who he hoped was watching.

"Now I've cracked it, I'm sure Jasper and Alice will be agreeable for us to use Peter's research for the benefit of mankind, now that we've eliminated the side-effects and can control how it's marketed. We'll give them a cut of the profits and if we can trace Peter's family, we can make sure they get a pay-out too. I'm going to start writing up the patent tonight and I'll prepare a paper for Nature in the next few days."

"Don't lose that memory stick, Edward."

"Don't worry, dad. This is going everywhere with me until we get home and then I'm going to print the details out for the patent office."

Edward put the stick back in his jacket pocket and patted his chest.

"Just think, dad, when this hits the pharmacies, we can just sit back and watch the dollars rolling in."

Carlisle stood up and hugged Edward.

"I'm so proud of you, son. I'm sure there'll be another Nobel Laureate in this family very soon."

"Thanks, dad. But we can't take all the credit; some of it must go posthumously to Peter, and to Jasper and Alice of course."

"I'm sure you'll find an appropriate way to thank Jasper and Alice at least. Let's go home and tell all the others the good news. We've got something to celebrate at last."

"I thought we were going out on the boat?"

"Okay, after we've been out on the boat. I'll phone home and make sure there's plenty of Champagne on ice."

"Great. Looks like we're going to have a fantastic Christmas."

Edward and Carlisle left the lab, waving to Ben on the way out. The sun was still shining but they covered up with jackets, scarves, hats and sunglasses and made their way out to the Porsche. Edward pulled out of the parking lot, turning in the direction of the marina and put his foot down. He automatically looked in his mirror to see whether he was being followed; there were three cars behind him but none of them looked suspicious so he kept on driving without any concerns.

"What do you think Tom is going to do, Edward?"

"He's going to have to move quickly if he wants to patent it himself. He might even be tempted to break into the house again to steal the memory stick! By the way, dad, you should get an Oscar for that performance."

Carlisle laughed at the compliment on his acting ability then settled down for the drive to the marina.

Edward checked his rear-view mirror. There was a red car behind them now, but it turned right at the next junction and was replaced by a black convertible. Behind the convertible was a truck but Edward couldn't see who was behind that, but he wasn't worried at all. It was a lovely day and he was looking forward to feeling the boat moving under his feet and the wind in his face. Today was all about bonding with his father and once they were away from the marina they would forget about all the troubles that were waiting for them back on land.

* * *

Mario had been very clever; in fact much cleverer than the two idiots in the sedan. When Edward drove away from the lab he had organized a procession of cars to follow him at a safe distance. Every time Edward glanced in the mirror, the one in front would peel off leaving the next car in view. He wasn't going to attack the Masens yet, he just wanted to get an idea of their movements, so when his people did strike suspicion wouldn't fall on the Family.

As the Porsche turned into the road that led to the marina's parking lot, only two cars were still following. They carried on driving past the junction, then both turned around and drove down to the barrier so they could watch Carlisle and Edward as they exited their car and walk the short distance to their boat. When they had disappeared into the cabin, one of the two drivers crept under the barrier and wandered onto the jetty. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit the camera app then took several photos of the boat from different angles, then walked quickly back to his car. Before driving away he sent one of the pictures off to his new boss with a message saying, "Mario, what do you think of the Masens' pretty toy?" and he signed the message, 'Brad'.

As Carlisle and Edward came out on deck to cast off, now wearing their bright yellow waterproofs, the cars had already departed to report back to Mario. While his new protégé, Brad, and the others had been following Edward Masen, Mario had been listening to Enzo relating everything he had found out about Edward's family and Masen Research, but also some interesting facts about a young man called Alfonso Caspari, who was soon going to have some unexpected visitors.

* * *

Carlisle and Edward arrived home after an astounding afternoon's sailing. They had pushed the boat to its limit and were bubbling with enthusiasm as they burst through the door.

As they walked into the hallway their jaws dropped in surprise.

While they were out, Alice, Bella and Esme had turned the house into Santa's grotto. Christmas decorations were everywhere with swags hanging from the ceilings, fairy lights and shiny baubles were strung across the windows and the fireplace was covered in pine cones and holly leaves. A huge tree filled one corner of the conservatory and was completely covered with silver decorations, strings of twinkling white lights and an angel perched on top. Esme was covered in glitter as she had been spraying the windows with sparkling snow patterns and even Molly's fur was shimmering as she chased a bauble across the floor.

"What the hell's happened here?" Carlisle exclaimed.

"It's Christmas," Alice sang as she skipped into the room.

"I can see that, you minx. You don't do things by halves, do you?"

"Nope!" she replied, grinning.

Bella flung her arms around Edward and gave him a kiss.

"Have you had a good day?"

"Wonderful thanks, but obviously not as much fun as you three."

"Esme's been fantastic. We haven't let her climb any ladders, but she's been great with the fairy lights and the fake snow."

Carlisle looked around him and smiled. He had never seen the house looking like this before, even when he was a child growing up with his brother and parents.

"Is Jasper on his way home yet?" Edward asked.

"Yes, he'll be here soon," Alice trilled. She was in her element and hadn't had so much fun in weeks.

"Are we still going hunting tonight?" Bella said hopefully.

"Yes, as soon as Jasper gets back. Dad, do you need to go out tonight?"

"I'm fine, son. I've been dipping in to Esme's drinks to keep me going, so I'll be okay for a week or so."

Carlisle and Edward helped tidy up while they waited for Jasper and just as they were finishing they heard the Cherokee pulling up outside. Edward went out to help Jasper unload the supplies and to warn him about what he was walking in to.

About half an hour later they were ready to depart for the forest. It was a clear night and icily cold. The stars were shining brightly as the moon was a thin silver crescent hanging in the black sky. The four of them climbed into the Cherokee and headed off in the direction of the nearest forest that was home to large herds of deer. It was about an hour and a half's drive away so they took some Christmas CDs with them and were soon singing along to the Crystals and the Ronettes as they made their way inland.

As the town disappeared behind them, they were totally unaware that not far from Masen Research, the man whose sole purpose in life was to destroy Edward Masen, was about to take the final step in his journey of revenge. As Tom Wolfe closed his laptop and disconnected it from the power cord, he was imagining the look on the over-privileged face of Edward Masen when his family and the Whitlock's were arrested for the murder of Professor Anthony Masen while he had in his hand the memory stick that would give him riches beyond his wildest dreams.

As Tom walked out of his rented office for the last time and put the precious laptops on the back seat of his car, he knew that his goal was in sight. If everything worked out tonight, sometime tomorrow or the next day he would have his revenge on the man who had stolen the love of his life away from him, then had callously cast her aside when he picked up a new girl in Seattle. Not only that, if the memory stick that Edward was waving around this morning proved to contain what Edward claimed, while Edward and his family languished in prison he would become richer than Bill Gates, and then no door, however prestigious, would be slammed in his face ever again.

* * *

Tom Wolfe looked at the clock on the dashboard of his BMW for the hundredth time. The display had just flipped over to 1 am and he was cold and miserable. He had been parked in this spot on the track for well over two hours, but the lights were still shining in the isolated beach house.

"When will these fuckers go to bed?" he asked himself as he watched the house from a safe distance. He could see Edward's Porsche and several other cars on the drive so it was obvious he was home, probably working on the patent for the wonder-drug, which was possibly why he was burning the midnight oil. As Tom wiped the condensation off the inside windows with a cloth, he could see his breath in the freezing air. He rubbed his hands together to keep them warm, wishing he'd brought some gloves and a hat with him, but he hadn't anticipated the Masen's staying up so late. Every so often he would turn the BMW's heaters on, but he knew he couldn't do that too often as it would flatten the battery.

His mind went over why he was doing this. Having untold wealth hadn't been his number one incentive when he started on this journey of revenge, but stealing this research would be a fantastic bonus and would add to his adversary's rage. His original goal six months ago had been to discredit Edward Masen so that he would lose everything, including the girl he had stolen away from him. For people like the Masens, reputation and status were vital, and to have that taken away from him he thought would be the ultimate victory. But now he wanted more.

As he sat in his freezing car, shivering with the cold and at the same time stewing on his own prejudices, his resentment for people like Edward Masen, who had been born into wealth and privilege, made his blood boil. He thought about his own parents who had struggled every day to give their children the best education they could afford, including private tutors for his brother and sister, but still they had to jump huge obstacles to gain entry into the best universities because they went to an ordinary high school and had no connections. Entry to MIT had been easier for him because of his phenomenal IQ, but he still had to go through several interviews before securing a place at arguably the best university in the world.

Nothing in his life had been handed to him on a plate, so when Ben first told him about assholes like Edward Masen, who had been personally invited to apply to Yale by the Dean; who had been given the best room in halls where only the offspring of the great and the good were housed; who attended social occasions that only the select few were invited to; his rage at the imagined injustices of the society he lived in grew in him like a cancer. The final straw happened when he was sixteen and his brother, Ben, had defended people like Edward Masen during a family argument, telling him to grow up and get real in front of his parents. He was determined from that day on that he would get his own back on this over-privileged shit and others like him.

Then, when he was seventeen, he met Annabel, who he loved more than anything in the world. She was beautiful, funny and clever, and, more importantly, her family moved in the same social circles as the Masen's as her father was a Professor at Yale. At the time Annabel was a bit of a rebel and had insisted she wanted to attend the local high school and not go to the expensive all-girls private school that all the female members of her family had attended. Eventually her family relented and she had joined his high school when she was sixteen. They had got together in their final year, much to the annoyance of her parents who hoped it was just a teenage romance and Annabel would grow out of it as she matured.

Their love affair continued however, even when he went off to MIT a year later, but he noticed a change in Annabel's attitude towards him after their first visit to Yale to see Ben graduate. On that day Annabel met Edward for the first time and Tom could tell she was affected by his presence as she couldn't take her eyes off him. Edward was polite and courteous towards them and as he had a gorgeous blonde in tow that day, he didn't show any interest in Annabel, not knowing then that she was the daughter of Professor Edmonds.

A year or so later Annabel's father announced he was retiring. Annabel was invited to his leaving party at Yale but Ben wasn't, and that was another reason for him to be resentful, as he was well aware that her family thought he wasn't good enough for her and they weren't prepared to include him in their social circle. When Annabel returned from Yale it was obvious her feelings for him had cooled and when he found out the reason why, about a week after Annabel dumped him, he lost all reason. He convinced himself that Edward had taken her from him out of spite, as Edward knew how he felt about 'the privileged class' as they had argued about this in the past.

He went absent from college and stalked Annabel for nearly a week but she never went out on her own. One night he followed Edward's car after he picked Annabel up from her house and watched from a distance as they parked outside Rhode Island's most exclusive restaurant. He saw them walk hand in hand into the sparkling venue and be treated like royalty by the restaurant staff. Annabel had looked stunning in a cherry-red figure-hugging backless dress; her long blonde hair falling in immaculate curls almost down to her waist. Tom's gut clenched with a combination of desire and fury, seeing the girl he loved with the man he envied and hated the most and he couldn't control himself.

He exited his ancient Toyota and made his way through the lines of Ferraris and Mercedes to the door of the restaurant. He was determined to confront Edward in front of Annabel and he sped through the restaurant before any of the staff could stop him. He could see Annabel sitting with Edward at a table by the window overlooking the marina and then he spotted her parents sitting with them and his anger quadrupled. He had never been invited to eat socially with the Professor and his wife, even though he had been screwing their daughter for the past four years, and his rage exploded like a volcano.

He called Annabel, "a cheating whore and a tramp" and Edward, "a social-climbing parasite who was only fucking Annabel to climb higher up the social ladder." As he was being dragged out of the restaurant by the waiting staff, he turned his vitriol on her parents, calling them, "upper class fascist pigs who were protecting the rights of the privileged elite who were living off the backs of the poor." As he was thrown out of the restaurant, with the threat of police action if he didn't immediately leave the premises, he resolved to get his revenge on Edward Masen; the man who had everything but had still taken from him the one thing that was his. As he lay on his back in the parking lot, surrounded by the supercars of the rich and privileged, a burning desire to destroy Edward Masen became his reason for living and he resolved that he would not stop until he succeeded.

He excelled at MIT; his determination to be the best at everything becoming his secondary obsession. He withdrew into his own shell, not seeking the company of other students or other women as they would distract him from his goal. He was studying electronics and computing and his astonishing brain meant that companies were bending over backwards to recruit him, even before he finished his studies, but he had already decided that he was never going to work for an employer; he was only prepared to be the boss from day one. He needed money though, not just to pay off his massive university fees, but to start his own company. He visited a number of banks, but they weren't interested in giving him a loan as he had no friends or family who were able to act as a guarantor, which was another source of anger and resentment towards families who had access to pots of money and who could therefore perpetuate their own wealth and status.

His only solution therefore was crime. He thought long and hard about how to achieve the maximum gain with the least risk to himself and no bodily harm to others. After months of research, he invented a device that was as thin as a bank card that when fed into an ATM machine picked up the details of the card that had been inserted before so he could clean out whatever was in that person's bank account. After trialling it a few times, Tom disguised himself as a woman and took a long road trip, zig-zagging through the Eastern states, and within four weeks had amassed over three hundred thousand dollars before the banks realised what was going on and upgraded their ATMs to stop it happening again, but he'd got away with it, and now he had money to play with.

In the meantime, much to Tom's disgust, Ben had finished his PhD and was now working in Anthony Masen's research laboratory with Edward. One night, Ben purposely took him to the local country club for dinner, knowing that Edward and his father would also be dining there. Ben wanted to clear the air between the two of them, so Tom pretended to be civil, acknowledging that Edward didn't know that Annabel was two-timing him, but the hatred still remained and his desire for revenge grew like a malignant tumour. He bided his time, invested his nest egg in stocks and shares, and by the time John Hodgson's company came on the market, he had over half a million dollars' worth of assets.

He introduced himself to the world of surveillance and decided to try out his new toys in Masen Research to see whether he could find out any dirt on Edward in order to discredit him. He discovered from Ben that Edward mainly worked in his uncle's lab, so he searched the internet for something he could plant in the lab that could conceal a camera and microphone. It didn't take him long to find the picture of Brooklands Racing Circuit on the internet, so he purchased it and installed the surveillance device in the thick wooden frame. He presented it to Anthony, saying he had spotted it in a yard sale and had picked it up for only a few dollars and knew where it should be hanging.

It was now late-summer and college was still in recess. He rented a small office near to the lab and set up his laptop so he could spy on Edward and his uncle. For the first week Edward wasn't there. He learned from conversations Anthony was having on the telephone that he was in Seattle visiting the university, but when Edward returned the action really started. He knew immediately that Anthony was onto something epic as he was excited about some samples Edward brought back from his trip and he was even sleeping in his lab, but he couldn't work out what he was researching at first as Anthony was writing everything down on paper rather than on the computer screen. He could decipher some of Anthony's scribbles, but it wasn't until Carlisle came to see him and they argued about a drug treatment that could extend life that Tom became ecstatic. After that, he watched every second of what was being recorded and was satisfied he knew everything that Anthony was writing down, as helpfully he would hold his notes up and read them like he was reading a book.

But then a lot of things happened at the same time. He heard from Ben that Edward had broken up with Annabel and a new girl was on the scene. He had been incensed when he found out that Edward had proposed to Annabel, but was enraged when he heard she had been callously cast aside less than three weeks later.

Then the night came when the evidence he needed to bury Edward once and for all was recorded on his laptop. He was watching from his office when he saw Anthony murdered before his eyes by a man called Jasper who was claiming to be a vampire. He didn't believe that, even though Jasper seemed to have super-human powers and was either bullet-proof or wearing Kevlar. Edward and Carlisle and the two women who were with him did nothing to stop the murder, so in his eyes they were all as guilty as the man who broke his neck.

He was tempted to stop recording and take the evidence straight to the police that night, but he wanted to get his hands on Anthony's research first, as this discovery could make him super-rich, so he decided to bide his time and wait to see what happened. He carried on watching and recording as Edward and Jasper carried Anthony's body to the door so they could arrange it so it looked like he'd had an accident. While they were doing that, the two women, one of whom he guessed was Edward's new girlfriend, were tidying up the lab and comforting Carlisle, after which they all left, leaving Anthony's body to be found the next day.

He waited a while, giving them time to leave the building, then he left his office and drove a short distance to an isolated spot where he had previously dug under the lab's perimeter fence so he could plant the transmitter outside Anthony's lab. He parked up and rolled under the fence, emerging on the other side covered in dirt. He crept through the woodland by the lake heading towards the building, hiding behind bushes and trees to avoid the CCTV cameras and any patrolling security guards. He was still a long way off but he could just see Anthony's body hanging out of the door. He was about to make his way over when three tall men in strange clothing appeared from nowhere and stood for a brief moment looking at the body, then they disappeared so quickly that Tom was not entirely convinced that he had actually seen them. He hung back for a few more minutes before running close to the edge of the lake where it was pitch dark, then up the slope towards the open laboratory door where he jumped over Anthony's body and was inside the lab.

He frantically looked around for Anthony's notepads but they were nowhere to be seen. He opened drawers and filing cabinets searching for anything that Anthony had scribbled on, but nothing was left. He looked at Anthony's body and decided to go through his pockets to see whether he had any memory sticks concealed on him. All he found was a bunch of keys which he pocketed, knowing that one of them was probably a master key, but in the end he gave up searching and returned to his office and looked again at what had occurred that evening.

He made a copy of the master key and the next day he made an excuse to visit his brother at the lab. When Jane wasn't looking, he left the bunch on the reception desk under some papers so they could be found easily. When Ben came to collect him there were no meeting rooms available as the police were using them, so even though it was against the rules, Ben took him back to his lab. When Ben was getting the coffee, Tom took the opportunity to plant another surveillance device that pointed at Ben's computer. Tom knew that Ben had access to all the other lab's results so if he couldn't retrieve Anthony's research, at least he could steal everything else that Masen Research was working on after Edward and the family were arrested for murder, then sell the information to the highest bidder.

During the weeks when Edward was away, the temptation to go to the police with what was on his laptop was overwhelming, but Tom guessed that Edward would continue with Anthony's research when he got back, even though he had made out to Anthony it was dangerous. However, when he arrived back in Connecticut from Seattle and moved in to the beach house with Bella Swan, he didn't immediately come back to work but stayed in the house with her and the super-human couple who were on the video.

He had followed Bella several times over the past few weeks and had almost mowed the bitch down as she was crossing the street by her office, but the super-human one had dragged her out of the way in the nick of time. That was the closest he'd got to killing her and he was angry that he hadn't succeeded. He wanted Edward to feel the same pain as he did when Annabel was taken from him, so killing Bella would have been awesome. He now accepted he would have to settle for them being incarcerated in separate prisons for the rest of their lives after they were both convicted of murder, and he hoped that would be even more painful for Edward.

Edward returned to the labs but up until a few days ago he hadn't mentioned Anthony's research at all. But Tom hadn't give up hope that he would resume where Anthony had left off. Edward was a scientist, and Tom presumed that professional curiosity would eventually get the better of him and he was right. Yesterday he had told his father he had cracked whatever it was Anthony was researching and all the evidence was on a memory stick. All Tom had to do was find the stick and then he would anonymously inform the police that Edward was involved in a murder by sending them a copy of the tape. While he was under arrest, Tom would patent the discovery for himself, then sit back and watch Edward suffer as his liberty and livelihood were taken away from him.

It was now 1.15 in the morning and finally the last light was extinguished in the beach house. Tom waited for another fifteen minutes to give them a chance to go to sleep, then he put the car into drive and without turning the lights on he slowly travelled further down the track then wedged the car between two sand dunes so it was out of sight, then jogged the rest of the way carrying a small crowbar. He crept onto the deck and slipped the edge of the tool near to where the lock was situated, but the door gave way easily and he realised it hadn't been locked for the night.

Hanging on to the door so it only opened inch by inch to stop it squeaking, there was eventually enough of a gap for him to squeeze inside. It was dark in the hallway, but here and there candles were burning, giving off a soft flickering light along with Christmassy scents of warming spices. He could see through to the empty living room where embers in the fireplace were still glowing red and the house felt hot after being outside in the freezing car for more than three hours.

He crept further along the hallway as he was heading for the study, testing each footstep for noisy floorboards. He had been in the house before, so didn't need any more light to know where he was going. His heart was pounding in his chest as he got to the study door but he stopped suddenly as he saw movement in the corner of his eye. He turned his head quickly to see who was there and for a brief second his heart stopped beating.

From nowhere, as though she had appeared by magic, a tall woman in a long flowing dress was standing beside him; her face and arms were shimmering as if she had been sprinkled with fairy dust. Her skin was unusually pale and her bright golden eyes were shining excitedly. Tom's first impression was that she looked like a ghost. He was just about to raise his arm to threaten her with the crowbar when his feet left the ground and he felt a searing pain in his neck, followed by a crushing sensation that ripped through his body. As he struggled to free himself, a feeling as though his life was being sucked from him enveloped every part of his being and he continued to struggle, but his limbs were now paralysed and useless and his eyesight was starting to blur. As the crowbar crashed to the floor, he heard a man's voice beside him followed by a woman's screams and then he knew he had been dropped, even though he didn't feel any pain as he hit the wooden floor.

As he lay on his back, Tom Wolfe's life flashed before him and the last images he saw before his eyesight failed completely were flickering candles, fairy lights and sparkling Christmas angels dangling above him, then everything slowly faded to black, his body became numb and after a few more moments of peace and tranquillity he saw and felt nothing at all.

* * *

Jasper parked the Cherokee in a quiet part of a lot that served an out of town 24-hour supermarket. There were other car parks nearer to the edge of the forest but they were used at night by courting couples and they didn't want to be seen abandoning their vehicle and walking into the woods as that might arouse suspicions, especially on such a cold, dark night.

They left the car and after running like the wind for about fifteen minutes, they were soon deep inside the forest. Jasper quickly picked up the scent of a herd of deer who were bedding down for the night, so they surrounded the herd on all sides then rushed them at once. The deer didn't know which way to run and within seconds all four had caught a sizeable animal and were feeding.

One deer each wasn't enough to satisfy them, so they travelled further into the forest to try their luck again. Once more Jasper picked up the scent of another herd, but this time they were moving, probably because they had heard the commotion from the first attack. They stalked the herd for about twenty minutes and were drawn further into the forest. Other smaller animals ran for their lives as they crept forward but eventually the deer were forced to scatter in every direction when a rock wall stopped their advance and all four vampires managed to catch another animal.

After feeding, they buried the remains quickly and efficiently and ran as a group back to the Cherokee. The car park was almost deserted by now as it was about half past midnight and very cold. On the journey back, Edward told the others about the trap he'd set for Tom and related what a great day he had on the boat with Carlisle. Nobody mentioned the impending visit of Aro as the four of them didn't want to spoil what had been a good day.

It was nearly two in the morning when they turned off the main road and were driving along the track towards the house. About half way down they spotted the back end of a car that had been driven off the track and was partially hidden behind one of the dunes. The house was in complete darkness and everyone in the Cherokee knew instinctively that something wrong.

"Slow down," Edward whispered to Jasper. "If there's someone in the house, I don't want them to hear us coming."

Jasper slowed the Cherokee down to a crawl and as they passed the car they realised whose it was.

"Black BMW," Edward hissed. "Tom must be in the house looking for the memory stick."

"Holy Shit!" Jasper cried. "Esme!"

Jasper suddenly put his foot down, throwing the others backwards into their seats as the car roared down the hill, screeching to a halt inches away from the deck.

Edward was looking at Jasper incredulously, wondering why he had shouted his mother's name, and then he realised that Esme had never been in the presence of a human since she was changed, so Tom was in mortal danger.

All four of them spilled out of the car and burst through the door but they were too late. Lying on the floor in the hallway was the body of Tom Wolfe; his terrified face drained of blood and as white as the fake snow covering the windows. At the foot of the stairs was Esme but her face was buried into Carlisle's chest, his shirt now soaked with the last drops of Tom's blood that had spilled from her mouth.

As they looked in horror at Tom's lifeless body, illuminated only by Christmas candles and fairy lights, Esme looked up at her husband and cried in a wavering voice,

"Carlisle, what have I done?"

* * *

 **Oh Crikey (English expression),**

 **You've killed Tom, that's what you've done, Esme! (I think someone had better tell her she's a vampire now, don't you?)**

 **Well, that's the Tom problem sorted! I would guess that a lot of you saw this coming after Edward said he thought Tom might try and break into the house again? Edward was so intent on catching him, he never considered that his mother might fancy a midnight snack!**

 **See you next time for the repercussions of this (OMG), plus Ace's reaction to his uninvited visitors.**

 **Thanks for all your reviews - I'm so enjoying reading them.**

 **Joan xx**


	21. Chapter 21

**Esme has inadvertently solved the 'Tom' problem, but his demise is going to be difficult to cover up. While all that was happening, Ace has had some unwelcome visitors, and we can all guess who they are.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Mafia

* * *

It had been a long day in the labs for Ace. John Hodgson had turned up at about four with the surveillance equipment and had given him a quick training session on how to use it. At six o'clock the staff left for the day so Ace toured the building, visiting every room and lab to check for bugs. At nearly eight o'clock he had finished the sweep and was thankful there were no devices anywhere in the building. Even the one he saw Tom planting in Ben's room had gone from the shelf, which made Ace curious, wondering how and when it had been removed. He didn't have access to Anthony's lab to do a check; he would let Edward use the equipment himself tomorrow.

Ace said goodnight to the security staff and after admiring the beautiful lines of his new set of wheels, he folded himself into his Lamborghini, which was another tangible acknowledgement of his Italian roots. He also owned a Ferrari and an ancient Fiat 500, but he only drove the Fiat when he went to the Mall or the movies as he was fed up of arriving back at the parking lot to find his supercars had been vandalised.

After picking up a take-out from his favourite drive-through, he arrived at the new home he'd only recently moved in to. The house had an underground garage large enough to accommodate all three cars and had electronically controlled doors that opened automatically on his approach. He drove in and parked up and grabbed the take-out from the passenger seat, but as he exited the car he saw three figures standing in a 'V' formation on the driveway. He couldn't see their faces as they were silhouetted from behind by a bright street lamp on the sidewalk, but he knew, just by the way they were standing, with their hands in their coat pockets and their feet wide apart, who they were and the organisation they represented.

Ace's blood ran cold, but he wasn't going to let them see his fear. He was stronger than his father and uncle and he had no intention of being controlled by these people, whatever threats they made. He walked towards the one standing in front and said in his best Italian…

"Va' All'Inferno – fuckers!"

Which translated meant, 'Go to Hell – fuckers'!

As he continued to walk away from the garage, Ace saw the other two men reaching inside their overcoats and both pulled out weapons from their shoulder holsters. But they didn't point the guns at him; they just held the weapons in full view, ready for use if ordered.

"Are you going to kill me then, you fucking heroes?" Ace spat at all three disdainfully. "Go on then; shoot an unarmed man if that's how you get your kicks. I'd rather be dead than have anything to do with you cretins."

The man in the middle walked further into the garage and stood under the light. He was about fifty years old, with a thin, sallow face and dark brown eyes that were hard and angry. He reeked of cigar smoke and Ace recoiled from the smell when he opened his mouth to speak.

"That's not how Italians normally greet their guests, Alfonso Caspari," the man responded in a heavy Italian accent.

Ace scoffed before replying.

"You're not my guests, but if you prefer an Italian welcome when you go visiting, fuck off back to Italy," Ace hissed in his face. "This is the United States not fucking Sicily and you're _not_ welcome in my home or my country." Ace went to walk past him but one of the minders grabbed hold of his arm and pressed the gun into his neck.

"You don't know why we've come, Senor Caspari," the man who seemed to be charge hissed back. "Instead of arguing here, why don't we go inside?"

"There's nothing you're going to say to me that I want to hear, so I'd rather talk outside if you don't mind. At least if you shoot me in the garage you won't ruin my rugs."

The other minder got hold of Ace's free arm and wrestled his keys from his hand and walked towards the front door. As it opened an alarm started beeping.

"Give me the code, Alfonso, or I'll snap your fingers in turn until you do," the minder threatened.

Ace was tempted not to tell him the number, but he didn't want to put any of his neighbours at risk if they came out to investigate why his alarms were sounding, especially Sue from next door who looked after Madonna during the day, so he spat out his response.

"Sophia Loren's measurements, asshole."

The minder laughed and pressed 38-24-38, which was a number that every Italian man of a certain age knew. The beeping stopped and Ace was bundled through the door which was then slammed shut behind them.

The minders frog-marched Ace across the stylish open plan living area and threw him onto a white leather armchair, then stood behind their boss as he made himself comfortable in a matching chair directly opposite.

"I'm not going to waste any time with introductions and pleasantries, Alfonso. I have a message from Mario Bennitto, who offers his condolences on the passing of your father. He was a good man and a loyal member of the family."

Ace's facial expression didn't move a muscle. He knew hatred and contempt for these individuals was written all over it and he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing any sort of reaction to that statement.

The man continued.

"The family understands that you've recently taken up a very senior position at Masen Research. It has also come to our attention that since the death of the previous owner, this previously respectable laboratory has started producing illegal drugs with the intention of putting us out of business in Connecticut. Understandably, the Family are not going to tolerate this and will take steps to ensure that any attempt to take over our territory will be met with lethal force. As your father and uncle were members of our organisation we demand loyalty from you, as you are now effectively their successor. You will be our eyes and ears inside Masen Research from now on. The organisation expects to take a cut of Masen Research's profits from their legal or illegal activities, we don't mind which, and it's up to you to make that happen."

Ace's mouth dropped open as he listened to the man speaking then he burst out laughing so hard that he doubled over. He carried on laughing until one of the minders pulled him out of his seat and punched him on the side of his face.

Ace put his hands up to defend himself but the minder threw him back in his seat again. He was under instructions to keep him alive, because Alfonso Caspari was apparently valuable to the organisation, but he was having difficulty restraining himself as he had never witnessed anyone be so disrespectful to his boss before.

Ace righted himself on his seat and pointed accusingly at the man sitting opposite him.

"I don't know where you get your information from, you ignorant prick, but Masen Research is one hundred percent legitimate and the Masen family are beyond reproach. Not one illegal tab or spliff has ever been manufactured on the premises because it's a _research_ laboratory, not a factory, you idiots. It doesn't _produce_ anything on site. The drugs and treatments it invents are made elsewhere under licence, a long way from Connecticut. Whoever gave you that information is an ignorant, lying tosser so sorry, no can do."

The man sat back in his chair and mulled over what Ace has just said. Louis had planted the idea in Mario's head that Edward Masen was producing illegal drugs, possibly to save his own skin, but there was no tangible proof this was the case, just a series of incidents that were all linked to the Masen family. Enzo had delved into the Masens' background, but apart from the occasional traffic violation, the whole family were squeaky clean, so Alfonso was probably telling the truth.

However Enzo had also researched Alfonso Caspari's background and discovered that he was an off-the-scale genius, so recruiting him to the organisation would be a huge feather in Mario's cap. Mario had ordered his henchmen to ensure that whether or not Alfonso was working in an illegal drug factory, he would be told that from tonight he was considered to be part of the Family, and would be expected to join them.

But the young man sitting opposite him was not intimidated by him or his minders in the slightest, and the man realised he was not going to co-operate without some further coercion. The only weapon he had left, other than violence, was blackmail, so that was his next move and an evil smile touched his lips.

"Alfonso, for such a young man you've built up quite a reputation in your field and for that you're to be congratulated. Tell me, how would Edward Masen react if he found out that the man in charge of his security had links with the Mafia? This could very easily be arranged."

Ace chuckled.

"He already knows. I've told him. It's on my application in big bold letters. ' _Alfonso Caspari has family links with the Mafia, Fascists and Communists'_. Anthony Masen wasn't bothered when he recruited me, neither is his nephew, neither apparently are the Pentagon who are also desperate to hire me. Next blackmail question please."

"Does he know you're a homosexual?"

"Yep, even though you're wrong; I'm bi-sexual. I'll screw anything as long as it's human. Male, female, gay, straight, young, old, black, white. I'll even screw an Inter-Milan fan. Next blackmail question please."

The man was getting really angry now. His options had just run out, as Alfonso had no family left to threaten or significant other to hold hostage in exchange for his cooperation. But he wasn't able to go back to Mario empty handed; he had been instructed to make sure that Alfonso Caspari was under no illusion that the Mafia were not going to let him live his life free from the influence of the Family, so he spat the next statement out with as much venom as he could put into his gravelly smokers voice.

"The organisation _is_ your family, Alfonso Caspari, and we expect you to be loyal to your family. You will receive instructions as to a time and place where you _will_ present yourself for initiation into the organisation and from then on you will be loyal to the organisation before anything else. You are Italian, you are Mafioso, you _will_ be recruited whether you like it or not, or your life will be forfeit.

" _Fanculo_! I'm doing no such thing. You talk about loyalty? Loyalty killed my father. He spent the last fifteen years of his life in a fucking jail because of loyalty. He was let out to die at age 67 and left this world on his own because my mother died of grief two years earlier. When I was growing up in Sicily, my family had to move ten times because of your fucking organisation and my mother and I ended up having to leave that wretched island and hide in a small village on the mainland with assumed names to escape the shame of being associated with you murdering bastards. As soon as I was grown, my mother insisted I get out of Italy in case you found me. I promised her a hundred times, including on her death bed, that I would never follow my father into the organisation, so my loyalty is to her, not to you."

Before cigar man could respond, Ace stood up and pulled off his Italian soccer shirt revealing his bare tattooed torso. Without fear, he advanced across the room and stood in front of one of the men who was still holding a gun.

"Go on, Al Capone, shoot me. There's my heart; it's got my parents' names tattooed over it. Take your best shot, because I'm either going out that door a dead man or a free man. Your choice, _Cazzo."_

Cigar man stood up and straightened his coat.

"I will report back to Mario what you've said, but I assure you, we'll be back."

"You can come back as many times as you like but the answer will still be no. I want nothing to do with you, I will never co-operate with you and I despise you, so tell that to Mario fucking Bennitto, and next time make an appointment; my dinner's gone cold because of you assholes."

The man was tempted to order his minders to shoot, as his adversary's arrogance was like nothing he had experienced before, but he hadn't been given that authority by Mario. He would report back to the organisation and relate every word of Alfonso's utter contempt for the family and he was sure Mario would be incensed. He guessed Alfonso's days were numbered and he hoped he would be the one who would be given the job to finish him, then he would see fear on the face of Marco Caspari's son. He beckoned his minders to follow him towards the door, but before he left, he turned on his heel and with an evil smile on his face he hissed …

"Alfonso Caspari, you're as good as dead."

The men left the house leaving the door wide open and an icy blast blew in from the sidewalk. Ace crossed the room and slammed the door, then threw himself onto a chair as his legs were just about to give way.

"Holy fuck, what have I done," he said out loud."

* * *

Carlisle looked at his son in desperation not knowing what to do. His arms were gripping Esme tightly, ensuring that she couldn't turn around and be reminded of what she had just done.

"Get rid of the body," Carlisle was saying over and over in his head, knowing that Edward would pick up his thoughts.

Edward nodded at his father and turned towards the other three who were staring open mouthed at the scene.

"Alice, Bella, can you look after Esme and Carlisle. Jasper, you take one end and I'll take the other."

They manhandled Tom out the door and laid him on the freezing deck. Tom's lifeless eyes were staring up at the starlit sky so Edward bent down and gently closed them with his fingers, just as a doctor or a priest would do. As Edward stood upright, shuddering at the touch of Tom's skin, he recalled his declaration to Ace that he would tear Tom apart when he saw him, and now he was lying dead at his feet. He knew he could count on Ace's descretion and loyalty for most things, but Tom suddenly disappearing or being found dead somewhere could look slightly suspicious and very convenient. If Ace suspected him of murdering the man who had been trying to rip him off, that would be a step too far for anyone who was genuinely honest, so how he handled Tom's 'disappearance' would be vitally important.

He forced himself to look at the deathly white face of Tom Wolfe, wondering what had driven him to do what he did. Why a young man with such a brilliant mind and an outstanding future ahead of him should turn to crime was a mystery to Edward. He thought back to their arguments years ago about the supposed class system that Tom imagined existed in the United States, and his accusation that it wasn't what you know but who you know that got him his place at Yale. Then the violent outburst in the restaurant in front of Annabel and her family, which Edward put down to the rantings of a scorned lover. But were those two things enough to make him risk a glittering future just so he could settle a score with him?

Edward realised a while ago that he had become Tom's nemesis, in that he apparently had everything that Tom hadn't, which was wealth, connections and Annabel, but he thought that as time went on Tom would mature, and the hot-headed anger of youth would dissipate. It obviously hadn't, and it was also obvious that Tom had been plotting to get his own back on him all this time? But whatever had driven Tom to spy on his work, whether it was for money or a deep-seated resentment or hatred of him, Edward would never know, but he now deeply regretted laying the trap to catch him without thinking of the consequences. He had been so intent on protecting his family from what Tom had recorded in Anthony's lab, that Tom's safety in the house had not been a consideration. Now Tom's life was over and Edward felt overwhelming guilt for the loss of this troubled young man.

Jasper interrupted his chain of thought.

"What are we going to do with him? His car is in the dunes; we've got to get rid of that as well."

"I don't know," Edward replied, shaking his head ruefully, "but we must get the car and Tom's body far away from here; tonight if possible."

Edward bent down over Tom's body again and started going through his pockets.

"What are you looking for?" Jasper asked.

"His car keys," Edward replied.

He found them in his jacket then ran as fast as the wind to where the BMW was hidden. The electronic key opened the door and Edward jumped inside, thanking God it wasn't one of the models that started by voice recognition. He reversed it onto the track then drove down to the house.

While he was driving he heard something rattling behind him. He turned to see what it was and saw two laptops and a briefcase sliding about on the back seat and he knew that in this respect luck was probably on his side tonight. He hoped and prayed that one of these laptops was the one Tom had used to store the incriminating evidence. Once he'd got rid of Tom's body, he would wipe the memory clean of the happenings of the night when Anthony died and that would be the end of that.

Edward parked the car on the drive then picked up the laptops and Tom's briefcase and took them inside the house to lock them up in the study. Meanwhile Jasper had been sitting cross-legged on the deck next to Tom's body, concentrating on how to cover-up the crime.

"Have you thought of anything?" Edward asked.

"Yes, but you might not like it."

"Just tell me, Jasper. I've got to get rid of the body of a man my mother has just killed; who happens to be the brother of one of my employees and to whom I made death threats in front of another colleague. Whatever you've thought of is not going to be any worse than what's just happened."

Jasper stared at him wide-eyed, then tentatively gave him his thoughts.

"Okay, this is my best shot. We drive the car back to MIT but we hide the body somewhere near the University where it will be easily found. We leave a note on the body addressed to Seth Clearwater in Seattle saying something like 'Catch me if you can'. When the police do the autopsy, they'll see that Tom's body has been drained of blood, so the police will immediately conclude that the Seattle serial killer has moved to the Boston area and won't look for anyone else."

Edward sat down on the deck and looked at his friend.

"That's brilliant, Jasper; I'd never have thought of that. But if we're going to do this we'll have to leave now and hide Tom in Boston before daybreak. We'll use the back roads to get there to avoid the cameras on the freeway recording the BMW's licence plate. We don't want his death associated with Connecticut if at all possible."

Edward got up and went back in the house. Carlisle and Esme were upstairs in the bathroom and Bella and Alice were cleaning the hall floor and walls where blood had been splattered. He bent down and whispered in Bella's ear, just in case Esme was listening.

"Jasper and I are going to get rid of Tom's body. We'll probably be gone for the rest of the night, so don't worry if we're not back by morning."

Bella stood up and hugged him.

"Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. I can't get my head around this at all. It's my fault this has happened and I don't know how the hell I'm going to face Ben?"

"Don't worry about that now, Edward. Just do what you need to do tonight and be careful."

Edward wrapped his arms around her and held her for a few moments then kissed her on her forehead.

"We'll be back at about seven," he muttered, then let go of her.

When he went outside, Jasper had collected a travel rug from the Cherokee and had laid it in the empty trunk of the BMW. They picked Tom's body up and carefully positioned it in the middle of the rug and wrapped as much of him up as possible then closed the trunk. Edward got in the driver's seat and fired up as Jasper started the Cherokee and they set off slowly up the track to the main road.

By now it was almost half past two in the morning so the roads were deserted. They probably had a two hour drive ahead of them so Edward knew his window of opportunity to dump the body and park the car without being seen was small, so he put his foot down and headed north, praying to God they weren't being followed, or that any patrol cars were curious as to why they were out and about at this time of night.

* * *

Bella and Alice had finished cleaning up the blood in the hall and study and had burned Esme's clothes, Carlisle's shirt and the cleaning cloths on a newly made up fire in the living room. Carlisle and Esme were still upstairs in their room lying on the bed, and they could hear Carlisle trying to calm Esme with reassuring words.

"He's going to have to tell her now," Alice whispered. "I can't imagine what she's thinking."

"I know, but do you think she'll actually understand. I guess she has already worked out that she's 'different' and I presume she's heard of vampires, but it'll be a shock for her to find out that they actually exist; then to find out she is one will be mind-blowing. I still can't believe that Alec didn't tell her when they kidnapped her."

Alice nodded her head in agreement. "If Edward's with Carlisle when he tells her, I think that will help."

"I agree, but it'll still be difficult. She's only just recovering from being snatched by Alec."

"It's such a shame; she's really improved in the last few days don't you think?"

Bella agreed and stroked Molly who was curled up on her lap. Every time Esme let out another cry of anguish Molly raised her head and meowed.

Do you know what Jasper and Edward are going to do with Tom's body?" Bella asked.

"Yes, I've seen it clearly. They're taking it to Boston and they're going to hide it behind a bar in the city. Someone will eventually discover it and when the body is examined during the autopsy, they'll link it to the killings in Seattle. The police will presume the serial killer has moved to the east coast and all hell will be let loose. Very clever I thought."

"I suppose so, but I hope Seth doesn't try and contact me and ask whether I'll help with the investigation as I'm on this side of the country now. I would have to refuse; say something like it would bring back too many memories of Jacob's death. If he finds out you and Jasper have moved out this way, that might ring a few alarm bells, as you were strong suspects in the original case."

"I never thought of that; hopefully they'll think it's a coincidence. Don't worry, I'm sure Boston CSI will be able to cope without asking you to become involved. Professional rivalry will get the better of them because if they think they can catch the killer that Seattle couldn't, that'll give them a reason to think they're cleverer than Seattle. Seth will have to pass on the records of all the people Peter killed, so they'll look at those first."

"I hope you're right. Another police force on our backs is the last thing we need at the moment."

Alice and Bella sat quietly for a while, watching the fire burn down to just embers again. All trace of the blood-stained garments had gone and the house was back to as it was before. They could still hear Carlisle comforting Esme upstairs, reassuring her that it was just an accident and it wasn't her fault, but Esme was still very distressed.

On the spur of the moment, Bella asked Alice straight out if she knew when Aro would arrive.

"Alice, you've got to give us some sort of warning. We're all trying to live life ignoring the fact that Aro is coming; pretending that everything is hunky dory, but I'm frantic, Edward's frantic, I'm sure Carlisle's frantic. Can't you tell us anything?"

Alice shook her head for a moment then looked Bella straight in the eyes.

"Aro's visit is imminent, that's all I can say."

"Oh, Jesus! Have you seen anything else in the future that might help us?"

"Yes, but I still can't understand what's going on because it involves some humans I've never seen before, but one scenario seems stronger than all the rest and last night's incident confirms this is what's going to happen. All I do know for certain is that if I pre-warn you, two members of this family will either die or we'll never see them again. If we let matters take their course, then there's a chance we might all survive and see the New Year in together."

"Or we all might die?"

"There is that possibility, but I hope not."

Bella got up and looked out of the window that faced the beach. The first glimmer of light was touching the horizon and the sun would soon be climbing up to bring life to another new day. Bella mused that the morning had already dawned thousands of miles away in Volterra, and she wondered whether Aro had seen that dawn, or he was already in America, on his way to wreak havoc on her family. A moment of panic that would have stopped her heart if she'd still been human gripped her. She felt frightened and she just wanted to run away with Edward and hide, but that wasn't an option as she knew well. Aro's spies were all over the world, so this problem, whatever it was, had to be sorted for better or for worse, but for good.

* * *

It was nearly five in the morning and still dark before Edward was able to park the BMW in an alleyway on the outskirts of Boston. The journey through the countryside had taken longer than expected as some of the minor roads were icy and dangerous. Even though his life wouldn't be at risk if he crashed the car, they needed to get Tom's body and the BMW as far away from Connecticut as possible so that the Massachusetts' police would look no further than the state line for the killer. As they drove into Boston, hardly any cars and trucks were on the city's streets and only a few brave pedestrians and a couple of lunatic joggers were either walking or running along the freezing sidewalks.

Edward opened the car window to let out the odour of death that was emanating from Tom's body, but instead, the smell of festering trash assaulted his senses and he didn't need x-ray eyes to know that on the other side of the brick wall he was parked next to were lines of dumpsters containing the detritus from the bars and restaurants that lined the road parallel to the alley.

Edward quickly exited the car and opened the trunk where Tom's lifeless body was curled up in the blanket. Jasper had double-parked alongside him so anyone passing the top of the alley wouldn't be able to see them dragging a heavy object out of the trunk and be suspicious. When Tom was clear of the car and lying on the ground, they crouched down and waited, and when the only sound they could hear was vehicles in the distance, Edward picked up the now stiff body and leapt over the wall.

After moving a couple of the dumpsters forward, he placed Tom's body on the ground out of obvious sight then checked the backs of the nearby buildings for any CCTV cameras that would have to be dealt with, but fortunately there were none. Before he left the scene, he tucked a piece of paper inside Tom's clothing with the words that Jasper suggested would point the finger of blame on the Seattle serial killer. While he was waiting for Jasper to say it was all clear for him to jump back over the wall, he took one last look at Tom Wolfe's face and wondered what his last thoughts were as his life was being sucked from him. He wanted to say sorry, but knew that was futile, but he accepted he would regret Tom's death for the rest of his life. After hearing Jasper's signal, he leapt back into the alleyway and climbed into the BMW.

Jasper drove off first and Edward followed a minute or two later. As Jasper was driving, he was watching out for traffic cameras in the city and when he saw one in the distance he called Edward to warn him to use a side road instead. It took them over half an hour to get to the MIT campus, where Edward parked the BMW close to one of the residencies.

The university parking lot was almost deserted, as the majority of staff and students had already left for the Christmas break, but Edward guessed that some students, especially the ones from overseas, would still be living in their student accommodation, so Tom's car being there wouldn't pose any questions. It was still too early for anyone to be out of bed, so Edward was confident they weren't being watched as he pulled into a small lot that had several cars dotted around, all of them covered with a thin layer of frost.

Before leaving the BMW he wiped the steering wheel clean of his fingerprints and checked for any other evidence that he'd been in the driving seat. When he was satisfied, he locked the car and walked back to Jasper who was waiting in the Cherokee with the engine running.

After he climbed in and put his seatbelt on, Edward sighed and put his head in his hands.

"I don't know what I'm going to say to Ben next time I see him, Jasper. Of all the awful things I've ever done in my life, this has got to be the worst."

"Then be grateful it's behind you, Edward, and pray that our plan works. Let's get back home before the sun causes us even more problems."

Jasper slammed the Cherokee into drive and soon they were racing back towards Connecticut and the next problem that would surely be waiting for them.

* * *

After an uneventful drive along the freeway, Jasper eventually turned the car off the main road onto the track that led to the house, thankful that the journey from Boston was nearly over. Vampires supposedly didn't tire, but he felt mentally drained after the night time events and just wanted to get back in the house and stare at the ceiling for a few hours. The journey had been silent as he didn't want to interrupt Edward's thoughts. He guessed he would be worrying about what sort of state his mother would be in, plus he was probably not looking forward to the inevitable conversation that would have to take place. Jasper didn't envy him one bit.

As they started their descent down the winding track, they looked ahead of them and saw an incredible sight. The beach house was silhouetted against the perfect orb of the morning sun that was delicately balancing on the horizon, as it if was resting after its long journey across the sea before continuing on its journey. The sky around it was ablaze with colour, and the reds, oranges and golds that had announced the dawn long before the sun appeared, had spilled over onto the calm sea and had spread as far as the beach. On the sparkling sand, hundreds of gulls were stretching their wings, capturing any warmth that was in the air after a freezing night. The shrubs and grasses that covered the dunes were swathed in a lacy blanket of frosty cobwebs which caused the landscape to look ethereal and otherworldly, like Narnia's winter had come to Connecticut. Apart from the cries of the seabirds, not a sound could be heard to break the spell of this magical morning.

Even though he was keen to get home, Jasper slowed the car to a halt so they could take in the view, as he had never seen such a beautiful morning. It was if nature was trying to make up for the horrors of the night before by spreading a mantle of tranquillity across the land to bring balance back to the world. He looked across to Edward, who was also staring wide-eyed at the scene, and he wondered what was going through his head right now.

Almost from the moment they had come to live at the beach house, this family had lurched from one catastrophe to another. With the impending arrival of Aro, it was as though they were on a runaway train that was careening down a steep incline and was just about to crash.

Edward had been reading the pictures in Jasper's mind and thought his analogy was spot on.

"That's how I see it, Jasper. We're on the road to disaster and we can't get off it. I don't know what to do for the best and it's killing me."

Edward pointed ahead to the house in the distance.

"In that house down there is everyone I've ever truly loved, and out there…, out there is a maniac who thinks he has the right to destroy us for something we may or may not have done."

Jasper sighed as he put the car back into drive.

"I'm sorry, Edward, but we've got to put our faith in Alice now and hope that her intuition will help us get through this. I wish I had a better solution, but I haven't. Let's go home."

The Cherokee travelled the last quarter mile of the journey and came to a halt. Alice and Bella came out to greet them and Edward flew into Bella's arms and buried his face in her hair, drinking in her scent in gulps in the hope it would dissipate the smell of blood and bodies and death and dumpsters that had stayed with him during the journey home.

The four of them walked together into the house and down the newly scrubbed hallway into the conservatory where Carlisle was sitting next to Esme on the sofa, holding her hands in a tight grip.

As Edward walked warily towards his mother, she looked up at him and he saw her blood-red eyes for the first time. Seeing the woman who to him was the personification of gentleness and refinement with eyes that resembled Aro's, stopped him in his tracks. A tangible pain shot through his body as the horrifying truth that his mother was now a true vampire pierced his soul like a knife.

"Hello, Edward," she said, in a calm but strangely unrecognisable voice. "You've been keeping something from me, haven't you?"

* * *

 **Carlisle must have broken it to her at last and Edward will be anxious to know what her reaction is and also whether she is craving more human blood, which might be a problem.**

 **Ace's confrontation with cigar man will no doubt anger Mario and his crowd. They won't leave it there; Ace is too useful to them, so Mario will be thinking of a way he can _make_ Ace cooperate. Maybe he'll kidnap Madonna and hold her to ransom?**

 **Aro is on his way; will he arrive before chapter 22?**

 **Joan xx**


	22. Chapter 22

**Carlisle has told Esme what she is and now we find out how drinking Tom's blood has affected her, mentally and physically. How they deal with what has happened to her is going to be devastating for Edward.**

 **After Ace's unwelcome visitors, he's got to warn Edward that the Mafia are on his case, which could cause problems for Masen Research and his family, but that's the least of Edward's problems.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO - Abandonment

* * *

Edward dropped to his knees in front of his mother and took her hands away from his father's grasp.

"Mom, I'm so sorry you've found out like this; it wasn't meant to happen this way. We were going to tell you when we thought you were ready."

Edward fixed his gaze on her hands as he couldn't bring himself to look at her face again. The shock of seeing his mother with blood-red eyes had unmanned him and he knew if he'd still been human he would be sobbing right now.

Esme looked around at the others who were silently waiting for her response. She didn't need any assurances that they were all vampires as she felt no compulsion to attack, and the burning sensation that was in her throat when she first smelled the intruder wasn't there any more. The exquisite taste of her victim's blood was still lingering in her mouth and memory though, and the sense of sheer gratification and pleasure that she experienced when endorphins were released in her brain as his blood spread through her body, was now relentlessly taunting her to seek out another human and re-live that feeling again. She had never experienced anything so overwhelming and addictive before and had never felt more alive than she did now, but in her eyes she had committed murder and the part of her psyche that remained human was filled with guilt and remorse for the taking of a life.

"Edward, look at me," she said, and she ran her hands through his hair to calm him then put one hand gently under his chin and raised it up so he was forced to look in her eyes.

"I'm angry, but not at you, or your father, or anyone else in this room. I'm angry at whoever this Aro person is. I'm angry because he forced you to become like this and now you'll never be a father and have your own family. Giving birth to you was the single most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm angry that you and Bella will never be parents because of what we've become. I didn't have you for long before my mind failed me, but those years I had are the most precious memories I will ever have and now, because of that man's blood, I can remember every moment of the time I had with you when you were a baby. So come here, Edward, and give your mother a hug while you can."

Edward flung his arms around her and buried his face in her bosom as she stroked his hair. His mother's voice had changed; it was now strong and rich but her words had been calm and succinct. An air of determination, confidence and clarity was exuding from her and Edward knew instinctively that Tom's blood had had a positive effect on her mind and body. But before he had a chance to think of the implications of this, the last words she spoke repeated themselves in his head and he drew away from her as they sunk home.

"What do you mean, 'while I can'? What's happening? Please don't tell me that you're going away?"

"Your father and I are leaving almost immediately. I can't stay here any longer, Edward. I cannot trust myself near a human, because what happened last night may happen again. It might be someone walking on the beach, or a caller at the door, or a family picknicking in the dunes. I can't risk living here while I'm like this; I'm a danger to the community and I'm putting all of you at risk of discovery."

"Where are you going to go?"

"We don't know yet, but your father and I will take the boat and travel until we find somewhere safe to live. I'm sorry, Edward, but there's no alternative. I've got to get away from the human population until I learn how to control this monster in me and then I can trust myself in the company of humans. I hope you understand?"

Edward hung his head in sorrow but he knew deep down that it was the right thing to do. Self-restraint was difficult enough if you'd never tasted human blood. To have that compelling need to go out and kill would be impossible to suppress if you weren't one hundred percent in control of all your faculties.

Carlisle was nodding in agreement and Edward knew there was no point in arguing with them. As soon as they found a suitable home he would be able to visit. It was not as if it was the end of the world and they were going away for ever he thought and at least they wouldn't be here when Aro turned up. He got up from his kneeling position and kissed his mother on the cheek.

"When are you planning to leave?"

"In about a week or so," Carlisle replied. "I've got to do some work on the boat to make it sea-worthy for one competent sailor, but after that there's nothing stopping us."

"What about Aro?" Jasper said. "Aren't you going to wait to find out what his problem is? We may need your help."

"He won't bother about us. Anyway, we wouldn't be any help at all; we'd just be a hindrance to you when he comes. At least if we're out of the way you won't need to protect us. Anyway, does he even know that you've changed Esme and me, Jasper? Last time I saw him I was dying. He'll presume I'm dead already with any luck. I'm sure he's only coming to find out about Alec, and once you tell him your side of the story he'll be on his way back to Italy. I have every confidence that you'll be safe."

Jasper looked over at Alice who had remained tight-lipped during the conversation, but he couldn't pick up any clues from her expressions as to what she was thinking. Carlisle was right though when he said that they wouldn't be any help if it came to a fight, as Carlisle's number one concern would be protecting Esme and Edward in that order.

"Which way will you go?" Edward asked.

"Probably down to the Caribbean via Bermuda and the Bahamas and then along the South American coast, then we'll cross the Atlantic to the Azores and then on to North Africa and the Mediterranean.

"You will keep in touch with us during your journey?"

"Of course; as often as we're able. Don't worry about us, Edward, we'll be fine. Just think of us as two old folks doing the world cruise they've saved up for all their lives."

Edward laughed and relaxed somewhat, even though he could tell that his father was struggling to mask some thoughts that were going through his head by repeating the same phrase over and over again.

 _"I'm sorry, Edward. This is our only option to keep us all safe."_

Edward kissed his mother again then walked over to Bella and took her by her hand.

"I need a shower; will you come with me," he asked. Bella turned to follow him and as they were leaving the room Carlisle mentally relaxed, his mind lost focus and Edward picked up the thought his father had been trying to conceal. He stood still for a second, not knowing whether to confront his father there and then, but decided against it, as he didn't know whether he had made his intentions known to his mother yet. Instead, Edward walked calmly out of the room without saying anything.

Bella followed him upstairs without speaking and after they stripped off in the bedroom, they walked into their bathroom hand in hand. Edward turned the shower up to the hottest they could tolerate and as the water warmed their bodies, he leaned forward and put his hands flat on the wall while Bella worked his favorite body wash into the muscles of his back. He needed her to massage away the ghastly memory of the smell of blood that still lingered in his nose and the weight of Tom's body in his arms as he leapt over the wall, but, most of all, he needed her to wash away the pain and anguish of the last seven hours and especially the last five minutes.

She worked her strong fingers into his shoulder blades then down his back all the way to his waist and buttocks then she dipped under his arms to stand in front of him as she smoothed away the tension in his neck and collar bone and the tops of his arms. She was just about to drop to her knees to take the tension away from another part of his body when Edward put one hand behind her head and forcibly kissed her, ramming his tongue down her throat. He gathered her up in his arms and pressed her against the tiled walls, lifting her feet off the ground. As he positioned her legs around his waist, he pushed his erect cock into her as far inside as he could and held her still, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he pulled her away from the wall.

He broke the kiss and buried his face in her soaking hair as the steaming hot water continued to flow over them. He stood as still as a statue, clinging on to Bella as his world collapsed around him.

"Don't leave me, Bella. Say you'll never leave me," his voice choked out.

"I'll never leave you, Edward. You know I won't. Why are you questioning that?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. Mom and Dad are leaving me and they don't intend ever coming back. I'll never see them again when their boat sails."

"How do you know that? That's not what your mother said at all."

"That's my father's plan though. Don't ask me how I know, I just know."

Bella ran her hands over his head and kissed him on his forehead.

"It's their life, Edward. You've got to let them do what they want to do. At least you've had some quality time with them and can say goodbye properly if that's their intention. Don't make them feel guilty about leaving; this is their last chance of happiness as a couple so you mustn't put pressure on them to stay."

Edward nodded his head then he kissed Bella gently on the lips.

"I love you so much, Bella. We'll get through this, won't we?"

Bella kissed him back and smiled reassuringly, even though she wasn't confident about the next statement that came from her lips because she hadn't yet mentioned Alice's warning that Aro's visit was imminent.

"Yes, whatever happens, Edward, we'll be together forever."

Edward pressed her up against the wall again, pulling her arms above her head so she couldn't touch him. He wanted to be totally in control of their love-making as he felt he was losing control of every other part of his life. He rammed into her hard, causing her to cry out at every thrust but he didn't let up. He didn't care anymore that his family were probably listening to his grunts and Bella's cries; he needed to release the tension that had built up inside him since walking into the house and seeing Tom dead on the floor. Now his parents were leaving him, and he was distraught that his mother had just recovered sufficiently from a living death so she could be a mother to him again, only for him to lose her before he'd had a chance to get to know her for the first time as an adult.

His pace built up and as he thrust into her he was crushing her in his arms, holding on to her so tightly like she was the only life raft that was left to cling on to in the storm that was raging around him.

"Edward, you're hurting me," Bella gasped, "relax your hold on me, please," she begged.

Edward immediately dropped his arms and Bella put her hands on either side of his head and kissed him lovingly. She knew why he was like this; she had been just as angry and frustrated when she was missing her family and friends a few months ago. Now Edward was suffering like she had done, and he was screaming inside like she had been screaming, as she couldn't then see an answer to her problem. He needed reassurance from her and that's what she was going to give him.

"I love you, Edward, and I know that you love me. We've got a good life ahead of us if we can get the Aro problem out of the way. Don't despair, we've got each other; that should be enough?"

Bella still had her hands on his head, forcing him to look her in the face and then she kissed him again, this time passionately. Edward reached behind him and turned the water off then walked out of the shower carrying Bella into the bedroom. They were still intimately joined and soaking wet, but he rolled onto the bed taking her with him until he was on top of her and staring into her eyes, concentrating on holding it together while he brought her to climax.

Their desperate and frantic love-making continued until they both released and Edward collapsed on top of her. He wasn't tempted to exchange venom, as the afterglow would make him feel even more vulnerable than he was feeling now and in the back of his mind and from clues he picked up from Bella's thoughts, he knew that now more than at any other time he needed to have his wits about him. He was reading Bella's mind as he lay in her arms but he was still unable to hear words; he was only able to pick up what she was feeling and he could tell how concerned she was about his state of mind and the impending visit of Aro. She needed reassurance from him that he was in control and that he trusted her own reassurances and he knew he had to placate her.

"You're right, Bella," he whispered. "What we have is enough for me and is more than I ever expected from a relationship. I know that I'm the luckiest man in the world having you, but I just can't accept that my parents need to leave. I wanted to be part of a proper family for a while longer before we got our own place and now I can't bear the thought that I'll never see them again. I know now that's how you were feeling about Charlie, and I'm sorry I wasn't more supportive when we moved here. As soon as Aro is gone, I promise you we'll go to Seattle and you can see whoever you want. I don't care anymore about hiding; let people think what they want to. It's our life; nobody is going tell us how to live it. Fuck Aro and the Volturi; they can go to hell."

Bella kissed Edward lovingly then held him in her arms, stroking his back delicately with her fingertips as he lay on top of her. He was heavy, but she loved him lying like this as she felt protected underneath his weight as though he was shielding her from all the troubles happening in their life. As she lay there, thinking about Edward's optimistic words, she knew in her heart that there was a strong possibility she would never see Seattle or her father again. Also, if Alice was right and Aro would soon be dispensing Volturi justice in their own home, what they had just done may have been their last act of physical love in this life. But she would enjoy this tender moment for a while longer and take the memory of this and all their other special times together to eternity with her if that was what Aro had in mind for them.

* * *

About an hour later Edward and Bella came downstairs and found the others still in the conservatory.

Jasper looked up and pointed to Edward's jacket that had been thrown across the back of a chair.

"Your cell has been ringing every ten minutes; I didn't look."

Edward said thanks and grabbed the jacket and went into the study. Bella stayed behind and sat next to Esme.

He flipped the phone open and discovered he had five missed calls from Ace, so he called him back straight away.

"Hi, Ace. What's up?"

"Jesus, fuck. Where have you been? I've been calling you non-stop."

"Sorry, I was in the shower. Is there a problem?"

"You could say that. Are you coming to the lab today?"

"I wasn't planning to, why?"

"I need to talk to you urgently. Where are you?"

"At the beach house."

"Can I meet you somewhere?"

"What's going on, Ace? Why all the subterfuge?"

"I had a visit from the Mafia last night. They want to recruit me?"

"Jesus, Ace, what did you say?"

"I told them to go fuck themselves in my best Italian. What did you think I'd say?"

"I thought you couldn't say no to the Mafia."

"You can't, that's why I'm warning you."

"What's it got to do with me, other than me being your employer?"

"They want a cut of Masen Research's profits otherwise I'm dead. I told them I'd rather be dead than work for them, which is sort of true, but I'd rather be alive if that's alright by you."

"I don't want you dead either, but I'm not giving them a nickel and I'm not frightened of them. How did you leave it?"

"They left my house last night, but the guy who did all the talking said I was as good as dead, but I know they want me alive or they would have shot me on the spot just for talking to them the way I did. I've a feeling they might get at me by getting at you guys as they want part of your business and they're obviously still pretty pissed with Bella and Alice."

"Thanks for the warning; I'll tell the family to be on guard. Where are you at the moment?"

"At the lab. If I see them coming to the front entrance, do I have your permission to do a lock down?"

"Absolutely. Warn the security guards to be on the lookout as well, especially on the road outside."

"Okay, will do. Look, I'm sorry I've dragged you and the lab into my family troubles. If you like I'll put my resignation in writing to you now."

"No, I don't want that. I'm not letting those bastards win. You're too valuable to me, Ace. Anyway, it's my family that started all this, so I'm sorry that you've been dragged into our problems. You're safety is important to me."

"Thanks, Edward, I love you too!"

Edward thought for a brief second about what he was going to say next.

"Ace, if you want to disappear and hide until all this is sorted, then do it. Get out of Connecticut for a while and keep your head down. The lab can run itself for a while."

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes. Disappear, scarper, vanish. Take Madonna on holiday somewhere warm and sunny until this is resolved."

"What about Tom Wolfe? Don't you want me to stay around until that's sorted?"

Edward had to think quickly about how to respond to that.

"Your survival is more important than Tom. We've already got enough evidence that he's been spying on us, so if he does steal some of our research I'll go straight to the police with the tape of him planting a device in Ben's lab. Now you go away somewhere remote, but stay in touch if you can."

"Okay, I'll do that. Thanks, and I'm sorry again."

Edward finished the call and slumped in Anthony's office chair. He thought about what he was going to have to tell the family…

"Hey, guess what? The Mafia are after us now!" But today was not a day for jokes; it was a day for coming together as a family.

* * *

Ace looked up at the posters of his soccer heroes, Paulo Rossi and Roberto Baggio, and flung his hands out at them in a typical Italian gesture.

"What would you do in my position, boys?" he asked, but they couldn't help from their lofty positions on the office wall.

It wasn't in his nature to run from trouble. If his mother hadn't insisted he would have stayed in Italy and fronted it out, not escape to America on a student visa as soon as he was eighteen. He admitted to himself he was scared; he didn't want to die just yet and certainly not at the hands of the people who drove his parents to an early grave. But it was either give in to their demands and join the firm, die, or run. Running seemed the best option at the moment.

He touched his keyboard and the screen sprang to life. He clicked the Google icon and started searching for somewhere to stay over the Christmas break, or maybe longer. It would have to be somewhere where he could take Madonna, so hotels might be a problem. He looked up houses to rent and then thought of Fort Lauderdale; he had a friend from University who lived there, so that was a possibility. He found a few sites advertising beach-side houses and apartments and half an hour later he was booked into a luxury condo for two weeks from tomorrow night with an option for two more weeks after that.

He looked up at the pictures on the wall again.

"Now, boys, do I take the Ferrari or the Lamborghini?"

* * *

Mario was musing over what he had been told by his henchmen about their visit to Alfonso's home and he was fuming. On the one hand he was under no illusion what a compliant Alfonso could do for the family, as his professional reputation could get him into any organisation in the country, including the Pentagon, or even the CIA. On the other hand if they recruited him he could be a danger as they would never be able to trust him, as he despised the family with every ounce of his being.

Mario had taken on board that Alfonso had wanted the message to get to him that he would rather be dead than have anything to do with the family, and as Alfonso had no family to threaten, which was normally the breaking point for any man, that avenue was not an option. However, Alfonso had shown extraordinary loyalty to Edward Masen and his family, who still needed teaching a lesson because of what they had done to Louis and his drug dealers, so threatening them instead could be an option if Alfonso didn't co-operate. Masen Research made millions every year and a hefty slice of that cake, Mario mused, would boost his standing with his superiors and could possibly elevate him to a higher position in the organisation.

Mario picked up his cell and punched in a number. The call was answered immediately.

"Yes, boss," was the automatic response.

"You can go ahead with your plan, my friend. Alfonso needs a warning and the Masen's need to be taught a lesson that you don't mess with this family. I want this done as soon as possible; do you hear me?"

"Yes boss, you can trust me."

Mario flipped his phone shut and a satisfied smile spread across his face.

"No amount of Kevlar will save you this time, assholes!"

* * *

Night was starting to close in over the beach house after a beautiful winter's day. Everyone was relaxing in the conservatory either watching the TV, or reading, or occasionally making polite conversation, but the tension in the room was palpable.

Bella was trying to decide whether to tell Edward that Alice had told her that Aro's visit was imminent. Every time she thought of Aro's face, Edward looked at her strangely as though he could see inside her head.

Jasper was watching Alice's every move as he was attempting to pick up clues from her words and actions if today was the day, but nothing Alice said or did made him suspect there would be a knock on the door any time soon.

Carlisle was on his iPad looking at nautical maps and weather reports and occasionally showing Esme something interesting, like the Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio or the Iguasu Falls in Argentina.

Esme had been quiet all day, but there was no doubt she had changed, physically and mentally, since consuming most of Tom's blood. Her responses to Carlisle's questions about where she would like to go in the world were quick and accurate. She was desperate to go to Barbados, but didn't want to go to Haiti; definitely Barcelona but not Madrid. Her body movements were smooth and graceful and when she walked across the room it was at a normal pace, unlike before. Occasionally she would put her head in her hands and shake her head from side to side if the memory of last night reared its ugly head again, and then she would look to Carlisle for support and reassurance and he would kiss her hands and tell her everything was going to be alright.

Edward was in pain. He was picking up on everyone's feelings of stress and, on top of that, Carlisle had given up trying to block his thoughts from him and his resolve not to return was out in the open as far as his son was concerned. Edward was trying to hide his distress; he had just got his mother back and now she was being taken away from him again. He was re-living the feelings of loss and abandonment he felt when his mother was moved to a nursing home when he was about ten years old. That was nearly twenty years ago, but the hurt was no less than what he was feeling now.

Alice was the only calm person in the room. She had been drawing designs for her 'imagined' Paris fashion show all afternoon and showing them to a totally disinterested Bella. She had just started on a new page when she dropped her pencil on the floor but didn't bother picking it up. Edward looked up from the book he was pretending to read and he saw what she was seeing, as clear as if it had been on the TV screen in the room. He couldn't help it, but he gasped.

He could see in her mind five vampires standing on their deck, four male and one female and it was night time. Edward jumped to his feet and rushed over to Alice and pulled her out of her chair.

"Why are they coming, Alice? You must tell us, now!" Edward was shaking her but Jasper, for some reason, didn't intervene.

"You can read my mind, can't you Edward?" she hissed.

"Yes, but that's not important. What do they want from us?"

"They're coming for Esme. They believe she's a danger to our kind because her mind is feeble and she can't control her actions. If I'd have told you all, Carlisle and Esme would have left us and the Volturi would have sought for them, found them and killed them both and possibly they would have killed us as well for harboring her. But Esme has drunk Tom's blood now, and in their eyes she's a true vampire, so we have a chance if we stick together and defend her."

"When will they be here?" Edward spat. He wanted to be angry with her but he instantly saw her logic.

"Five minutes."

Jasper shot out of the room and they heard him fly up the stairs, but within seconds he was back down again and his arms were around Alice.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," he said. "Even if we don't survive tonight, you did the right thing."

Alice laid her head on his chest and whispered, "Thank you."

Carlisle put his arms around Esme and held her closely to him. He ran his hands over her beautiful auburn hair and kissed her gently on the lips and smiled.

Edward had his arms around Bella and as his lips pressed to the top of her head they heard movement out on the deck, then several things happened at once.

Molly leapt off the sofa hissing and her back arched as though a Rottweiler had just entered the room, then with two bounds she was out of one of the top windows and away across the dunes.

Bella shrieked when she saw what Molly had seen. Staring through the fake snow covered window was a vampire, and as she buried her face in Edward's chest another appeared. As the vampires were dressed in black, and there was no light outside to illuminate them, the only part of them visible was their ghostly white faces and their blood-red eyes staring in through the window and they looked like severed heads hanging in the darkness.

A second later, three heavy bangs rattled the front door, but before any of them had a chance to react, Esme was out of her chair and flying up the hallway. She flung the door open, but before the three vampires standing on the step had a chance to speak, she hissed…

"Which one of you bastards is Aro?"

* * *

 **Way to go, Esme! Can you imagine Aro's face? That was definitely not the welcome he was expecting.**

 **Has Aro come to hear their side of the story, or is he just going to wipe them out without listening. Why did Jasper leave the room suddenly. You'll soon find out.**

 **Thanks again for all your reviews and your lovely comments.**

 **Joan xx**


	23. Chapter 23

**Esme will certainly not be applying for a job in the Diplomatic Corp anytime in the future and if Aro was expecting a quivering wreck of a vampire he's in for a surprise.**

* * *

CHAPTER 23 - Confrontation

* * *

Carlisle and Edward were right behind Esme when she flung open the door and they had to physically restrain her from assaulting the vampire who was the object of her hatred and anger. As Aro, Marcus and Caius made their way uninvited through the hallway to the conservatory, the two vampires who had been staring through the windows appeared on the step and followed their master into the house without speaking. Edward recognised the statuesque female as the one who had been with Alec during the confrontation on the beach, but now she had an evil smirk on her face as she stalked past him. He hadn't seen the other male vampire before and wondered whether Jasper had any knowledge of him. He was wearing the emblem of the Guard, but as Edward hadn't seen this before he was unaware what this symbol represented.

Carlisle and Edward still had a firm grip on Esme in the hallway but were having difficulty holding on to her. Before they followed Aro through the house, Jasper convinced her not to antagonise Aro again by saying he had special powers and might hurt Edward. After getting Esme's assurance that she wasn't going to launch herself either verbally or physically on Aro, they made their way into the conservatory.

Aro removed his cloak and arranged it carefully over the back of the armchair he had chosen to commandeer. He waited for the normal invitation to 'take a seat', but it was not forthcoming. He took the seat anyway and gestured for the others to sit, as though he was Lord of the Manor, but they chose to remain standing.

Edward broke the silence.

"What do you want, Aro? I presume this isn't a social visit. Why have you come?"

"All in good time, Edward, but primarily I came to check whether Jasper and Alice had fulfilled their obligation to change you and Bella, and I am delighted to see that you are now part of my extended family, which means that the rules that apply to our kind now apply to you."

Edward scoffed.

"Neither I nor my family signed up to any rules, Aro. My parents are the only people on this planet who have any hold over me, so deal with that."

Edward's and Aro's eyes locked in mutual contempt until Aro turned his attention to Carlisle.

"Carlisle," he cried in a high-pitched voice. "How pleased I am to see that you relented and didn't give in to the cancer that was attacking your human body. I guess we have to thank Jasper for changing you, and, of course, for changing your lovely wife, Esme, who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting formally, apart from her surprising welcome on the doorstep. I would like to kiss her hand."

"Don't touch him, mom," Edward hissed. "He'll read your mind and your mind is your own. He has no right to invade your personal thoughts."

Aro rose from his seat and in the blink of an eye he was standing in front of Edward and their noses were almost touching.

"Why are you so hostile, Edward? Does your mother have something to hide? Anybody would think you are trying to protect her from me."

"Does she need protecting, Aro? Are you implying that she isn't in any danger from you or any of the others who have come uninvited into our house?"

"That remains to be seen."

Aro returned to his chair and held his hand out and gestured to the female vampire to take it.

"I've been told by my dear daughter, Monique, that your mother is not exactly 'all there' and therefore could be as dangerous to our kind as a vampire child. Judging by our welcome a few moments ago, I would suspect this to be the case, but I'm not going to jump to conclusions. I'm going to ask you whether this is true, Edward?"

Jasper had been watching the situation carefully and was worried that Edward was unnecessarily antagonising Aro. He had been in his presence several times before and knew how he worked, and he didn't like being made to look foolish in front of his brothers or any other members of the Volturi, so Jasper knew it was time to intervene.

"Edward," he said in a calm but authoritative voice, "do you mind if I say something?"

Edward nodded his consent and stood back. He had picked up warning vibes from Jasper's mind and had realised that he wasn't doing the family any favors by being aggressive and argumentative at this stage.

Jasper continued.

"Aro, we guess that Monique has told you that when Alec _kidnapped_ Esme, held her prisoner and used her as ransom for Alice, that Esme was baffled and confused as to what was happening to her, which is why you've come to see for yourself whether Esme is a danger. I am correct, am I not?"

"Yes, Jasper. Monique came to me with very disturbing news that your family and Garrett's coven had killed my son over a dispute about Alice. Monique also told me that Esme was behaving like a child and was unaware that she wasn't human anymore and consequently could be a threat to us all. You should all be grateful that I came to learn what happened myself before deciding what to do with you all, as I was initially tempted just to send the Guard. Luckily for you I can control my anger; it's a pity you didn't give Alec the same grace."

Edward went to say something but Jasper held up his hand to stop him.

"I presume therefore that Monique also told you that Alec chose to bargain with me for _my_ wife after pouring gasoline over Esme and standing over her with a naked flame. Alice went willingly and bravely to Alec in order to save Esme's life, then Alec did the same to her. When we rescued Alice with the help of Garrett and his coven, Alec threatened to come back again and again until Alice was his property. So to protect _my_ wife and the rest of this family, we had to end his life which was something we did not set out to do."

Aro turned to Monique with an accusatory look in his eye.

"Is this true, daughter?"

Monique's smug expression disappeared and she nodded her head, then spoke in a defensive voice.

"It's true that Alec used the threat of fire; he couldn't see any other way of taking Alice from Jasper. His desire for her was consuming him and he was desperate. If Garrett and his coven hadn't being hiding in the sea, he would have succeeded in his plan and nobody would have been hurt."

"Except for Alice," Jasper spat. "She's _my_ wife and is devoted to me, as I am to her."

Aro realised that Monique had withheld certain facts from him, but he was still determined to have his revenge tonight. As he was thinking quickly about how to rescue the situation so that he could justifiably wipe out this family, he surveyed the scene in front of him.

Bella resembled a frightened rabbit and was clinging on to Edward, who now had his arms wrapped around her. Carlisle was standing proudly next to his wife; he had no fear for himself, but Aro could tell that he feared for his family and especially for Edward. Jasper was a seasoned campaigner and negotiator, but he knew his life was on the line over this, but his life had been on the line from the moment Alec declared his intention to take Alice from him, but he was still prepared to defend her, even if it meant his own death.

Aro noticed that Alice was staring at him with narrow, accusing eyes. He knew she was waiting for him to try and defend Alec's actions, but even he had to accept that Alec had stepped over the line this time by using Esme as a bargaining tool and terrifying the life out of her.

But as he looked at each of the six in turn, he realised that they were not individuals anymore. This was a family in the truest sense of the word, that had chosen to stand together and defend the weakest member of the group. Aro knew Alice could see the future, so either she had warned them what was going to happen tonight and they had decided to stay together and take the consequences, or she hadn't told them that they were all going to die, as running from the Volturi was futile.

What the Masen's and the Whitlock's didn't realise, which could have tempered their arrogance towards him, was that surrounding the house were thirty members of the Guard who were waiting to move in and finish this family off when he left. He didn't particularly wish to see them being torn to pieces and burnt as Alec had been, and he was still debating whether to tell the guard not to kill Alice, as he wanted to imprison her in Volterra and torture her for not agreeing to submit to Alec. He had brought the most senior member of the Guard with him into the house so he could witness justice being served, so he could relate back to his soldiers that they would be dispensing a punishment, not just facilitating Aro's desire for revenge.

Aro turned his attention to Esme, who was now only being gently restrained by Carlisle. She was a stunningly beautiful woman with a face that would have compelled his long-dead friend Leonardo to paint her. As he looked at her admiringly and lasciviously, he suddenly noticed her eyes for the first time. As he was so used to being amongst 'true' vampires, whose eyes were always varying shades of red, the fact that Esme had obviously just fed from a human only now registered and he was curious.

He stood up from his chair again and slowly walked over to stand in front of her, but he raised his hands up to show he wasn't going to attempt to touch her, even though he was sorely tempted to lunge forward and grab her hand away from Carlisle's.

"Well, well, well," he said, patronisingly, "What do we have here? Someone has been snacking on the local human population if I'm not mistaken."

Edward was expecting his mother to crumble when she was reminded of what she had done, but the opposite was the case. Esme leaned forward so her face was near to Aro's and she slowly licked her lips.

"And very tasty he was too, Aro."

Aro recoiled from her as that was not the answer he was expecting. From the picture Monique had painted of Esme Masen, she should have been a nervous, twitching and muddled individual who was totally unaware she was a vampire. Either Monique had been lying in order to give Aro a reason to destroy the family, or Esme had miraculously improved since escaping from Alec's imprisonment. Whatever had happened, his excuse to let the guard loose on her and her family was slowly disintegrating and he needed to get hold of the situation before it slipped away completely. He addressed the family again.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but from your eyes I would guess that apart from Esme you all survive on animal blood. Why is Esme different? Could someone please tell me?

Carlisle spoke for the first time.

"You're correct, Aro. We abhor the killing of humans, but Esme's victim broke into our house last night and surprised her. He was the first human Esme had encountered since being changed and instinct took over. She is remorseful, but now she knows how to recognise the signs she's confident this won't happen again."

"But can you be sure? It seems to me that Esme is still not in control of her impulses and therefore cannot be trusted. There is only one way I can be certain that she will not put our kind at risk and that is to read her mind, otherwise she cannot be allowed to survive."

"No," Edward shouted. "You have no right to do that."

"Oh, but I have, Edward. I have the right through having many skills at my disposal and that allows me to have jurisdiction over every vampire on the planet. I make the laws and my Guard ensures my laws are kept. Without order, our kind would have been discovered many years ago and no doubt would have been destroyed by humans."

"Like the Nazi's," Bella spat. "You're no better than Hitler, Mussolini, or Genghis Khan, or any other despot from history."

Carlisle had been listening to the verbal knives being thrown long enough. It was his wife's life that was at stake and he wasn't prepared to put up with this any longer.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted, and the room fell silent.

Carlisle beckoned Edward to take his mother's hands then he stood in front of Aro and held out his hand for him to touch.

"Take it, Aro, and read what my intentions are. I have nothing to hide from you and you have no excuse to kill Esme or myself, or any member of my family. Go on, I dare you."

Aro flinched at Carlisle's directness, but took his hand and held it for almost a minute. He absorbed the history of Esme's illness and the despair Carlisle felt when he saw his wife deteriorating before his eyes. He felt Carlisle's pain when Esme was taken away and watched as she slowly lost her mind. Then he felt the joy when Esme awoke from being changed and recognised her husband for the first time in years, then the gradual improvement from being frail and dependent to what she was today. It was not what he wanted to see and he quickly withdrew his hand before he saw any more.

He was just about to launch into his final dismissal of the family's excuses when all hell broke loose out outside. Everyone rushed to the windows and were greeted with the horrific sight and sound of vampires fighting on the dunes and the beach.

Aro whipped round and stared accusingly at Jasper, who was beaming from ear to ear. Jasper had guessed that Aro would bring the Guard with him so had put together his own army just in case he was right. Vampires from all over the country had answered his call and were now easily overpowering the enemy as they outnumbered them three to one.

At that moment Garrett burst through the door. Behind him were the Denali's from Alaska and representatives of the vampires from the southern states. Together they had amassed over ninety vampires who were ready to support Jasper against Aro's version of justice. They had guessed that Aro would come from the north and they had been lying in wait for days south of the house waiting for Jasper's call. Jasper had quickly messaged Garrett from his room, as he didn't want the family to know they were coming just in case Aro touched any of them. Once the message came through, they descended on the dunes in droves.

Garrett walked up to Aro and pointed a finger straight in his face.

"This stops NOW!" he threatened. "Call off the Guard, Aro, and I'll call off mine before anyone dies. This family have done nothing other than defend their right to _be_ a family and in mine and every other vampire's eyes they have broken no laws."

"They murdered my son, Garrett, for no other reason than he desired Jasper's wife."

"No, Aro, there's a lot more to it than that. It's about time you heard some truths about your precious son. Alec was a psychopath, a rapist and a murderer, not just of humans but of our kind too. We covered for him for years until his atrocities got too much and a hundred years ago we banished him from New York as he was putting our coven at risk. On his way north, he attacked and raped Alice, leaving her for dead."

Aro opened his mouth to say something but Garrett wasn't finished.

"You may have thought of him as your son, Aro, but he despised and belittled you behind your back; calling you a wizened old fool. His sole aim was to one day topple you and become head of the Guard and the Volturi and rule his way. How long do you think our kind would have survived after that?"

Aro staggered backwards and sat down hard in his chair, as a truth that others had suspected was spelled out to him, but he was still in denial and he wanted proof.

"Give me your hand, Garrett. I need to see for myself."

Garrett offered his hand and Aro grasped it and closed his eyes. He saw exactly the pictures Garrett had painted and the dreadful atrocities that Alec had carried out when he lived in New York over a hundred years ago, especially involving children and young people who had just landed in the country from Europe. Then he heard Alec speak of his intentions to one day be head of the Volturi, once he had managed either to displace or murder his 'father'. There was no familial love or respect for Aro at all, just pure contempt for his manner of his ruling, but he was happy to use his father's name when he wanted to strike fear in the hearts of his vampire enemies.

Aro opened his eyes and his gaze fell first on Bella, who had accused _him_ of being a despot, but compared to what Alec would have become if he'd have been in charge of the Volturi, his rule would have been looked back on as a period of calm before the storm.

Aro thought quickly. He was still the Head of the Volturi and had to maintain control, despite the fact that a battle was raging outside. He let go of Garrett's hand and stood up.

"I agree to withdraw the Guard and I assure you, Garrett, that I wish no ill will on this family, now or in the future, _if_ they agree to my terms."

Aro pointed to the male vampire who was watching what was happening on the dunes.

"My lieutenant will accompany you outside and I trust you will ensure that if limbs have been removed they are all returned to their rightful owner. In the meantime, I will discuss with Carlisle the way forward now that I have ascertained that Esme will eventually be no threat to our kind. You are welcome to come back and listen to what has been decided."

Garrett looked over at Jasper who nodded his agreement. In a flash, the lieutenant and Garrett and the other vampires who had just come in with him, left the conservatory and within minutes the fighting had stopped and calm was being restored to the dunes and the beach.

Aro signalled everyone to sit down and now that the threat of instant death had been removed, they seated themselves on chairs and sofas around the room.

Aro turned to Carlisle and Esme and spoke in the most pleasant voice he could manage with a forked tongue.

"When I took your hand, Carlisle, I learned that you are planning to leave Connecticut soon and travel extensively in your yacht. Is that your intention?"

Carlisle nodded and squeezed Esme's hand.

"We were planning to leave in about a week's time, weather permitting. Why?"

"A lot can happen in a week and I am not entirely satisfied that Esme will be fully in control of her faculties during that time or for some time after. Can you look me in the eye and say to me honestly that if a human walked into this room now or was wandering along the beach, that Esme wouldn't attack, or at least act in such a way as to arouse suspicion?

Carlisle looked at Edward before answering.

"No, I can't. But she will be able to one day; she has improved so much just in the last week."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle, but I must insist that you and Esme accompany me back to Italy and stay as my guests in Volterra. When I consider that Esme is not a threat to our kind, _then_ you will be free to live your lives as you wish. You have my word on that."

Edward was trying to decipher what Aro's motive was. Even though he had given assurances, he didn't trust him an inch. Aro was playing an intricate game of chess and Edward was sure his intention was not to play fair. He was just about to voice his concerns when Carlisle spoke again.

"How would we get there? Esme doesn't have a passport as she hasn't been out of the country for nearly thirty years. There's no way we can get documents for her to fly during the week before Christmas and if you doubt that she's incapable of being amongst humans, an airport would not be a safe place for her."

Aro tut tutted and eye rolled.

"We travel overland, Carlisle. Vampires don't feel the cold so we came here via Europe and Russia, then over the pole and down through Canada. It took us a week. Fortunately the North-West passage is frozen at this time of year, so we didn't need to get our feet wet."

Carlisle shook his head vehemently.

"Absolutely not! Esme isn't strong enough yet for that sort of journey. It would be purgatory for her. I have a better idea."

Aro's eyebrows rose up.

"Pray tell me?"

"By sea. I'll sail my yacht to Italy and dock it ready it for our return. We already have plenty of blood supplies for the journey so we could leave tomorrow. You can be there on the dockside to meet us, Aro."

Aro thought quickly. His plan now was to remove Carlisle and Esme from the protection of their family and friends and destroy them swiftly. Jasper and Edward needed punishing for their arrogance in raising an army against him and he still desired to take revenge for the loss of Alec, whether or not he had been as barbaric and disloyal as Garrett said he was. He would have liked to kill them too, but Garrett's intervention had taken the initiative away from him and he wasn't prepared to put the Guard at risk from the wrath of Garrett's supporters. He needed to assert his authority again and killing Carlisle and Esme would be seen as a warning that he was still in control and should be feared. He had an idea.

"Wonderful idea, Carlisle, but of course we would have to accompany you on the journey. How large is your yacht?"

"It 'sleeps' eight."

"Excellent, then there will be seven of us who will make the journey. What do you think?"

Aro turned to his companions who nodded their heads in agreement, even though they didn't look overly enthusiastic.

Aro jumped out of his seat.

"Shall we go now?"

Carlisle shook his head as he was standing up.

"I admire your enthusiasm, but it will be tomorrow at the earliest. I'll have to check the weather and plot a course and Esme needs to pack, so if you'll excuse us."

Carlisle took Esme's hand and led her out of the room.

Edward stood up and turned to Jasper and Alice.

"I'm not happy about this; we need to talk, privately."

Jasper, Alice and Bella followed Edward out of the conservatory, through the house and onto the deck. Garrett's army were sitting on the beach whilst the Guard were huddled together on the dunes. It was a surreal sight and one that Edward hoped he would never see again.

Edward put his hands on Alice's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

"Alice, you must tell me, will my parents be safe in Volterra?"

Alice smiled at him, then drew him towards her and whispered so quietly that even the most sensitive ears wouldn't have been able to overhear.

"Aro has no intention of taking them to Volterra, Edward, but don't worry, they will be fine. You'll have to trust me."

* * *

Dawn was touching the horizon with flame after a long, cold night. A hundred and twenty vampires were still surrounding the beach house; the Guard were there to protect their master and Garrett's army were there to protect the family. Neither group was prepared to leave the beach until the problem had been resolved. As the seagulls circled above them, looking for a place to land but not daring to settle down anywhere near these strange-smelling people, the first brilliant beam from the new sun touched the vampires' upturned faces and their freezing, pale skin sparkled like diamonds in the morning light.

Twenty miles away Ace was preparing for a long journey south. He had decided to take the Ferrari and the small trunk was already packed with his and Madonna's luggage, so it was shower, breakfast, then off on the long drive to Fort Lauderdale and safety.

Outside on the sidewalk the man Ace was running away from was puffing on his first cigar of the day, anticipating having the pleasure of dragging Alfonso Caspari out of his house. He wasn't going to kill him just yet; he was going to show him what happens if you refuse to cooperate with the organisation. After witnessing an example of what the family could and would do, Alfonso Caspari would be putty in his hands and Masen Research would be looking for a new proprietor; one that the organisation would be able to manipulate.

In his hiding place in the town, Brad was cleaning his gun. He was still on the run, but without witnesses there would be no case to answer, so Edward and Jasper's days were numbered, and any other members of their family that got in the way. He had waited for the right opportunity to finish them, and last night, with the help of Beavis and Butthead, he had worked out how and when to do it, but now he had to be patient as these things couldn't be hurried.

Inside the beach house Aro was congratulating himself on his plan to assert his authority, Bella was frantic because Molly was nowhere to be found, Carlisle and Esme were preparing for their journey and Edward was praying that Alice's foresight was accurate, otherwise in a few hours' time he would be saying goodbye to his parents for the very last time.

Dawn had just arrived on the 20th December, the shortest and darkest day of the year, but a hell of a lot was going to happen in the daylight hours to come.

* * *

 **I'm sure many of you can guess what's going to happen (some of you already have, so don't read the reviews), but it will be dramatic, funny and shocking, but not necessarily in that order!**

 **Joan xx**


	24. Chapter 24

**The clue to this chapter is in the title - I'll say no more!**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR - Pizza!

* * *

Ace was carrying out the final checks to his house before he went away. The windows were locked, the heating was turned to low to prevent the house from freezing and his fridge was cleared out. His neighbour was going to pop in every now and again to check the place over so every room was immaculately tidy as he knew what a gossip she was. Madonna was in the back yard having a final run-around before the journey, so he went for a final pee, washed his hands and checked his appearance for the hundredth time as all Italian men do before they step out into the world.

He had one more small bag to put in the trunk of the Ferrari so he opened the front door and walked out onto the step. Waiting for him on the sidewalk in front of the house was cigar man with the same two henchmen that had threatened him two nights ago, but this time Ace could see they were not alone. Along the street were several other cars filled with men and even though there were no guns on show, Ace guessed they were probably armed to the teeth.

"Going somewhere?" cigar man asked sarcastically, then he took a final puff before throwing the butt on the icy ground.

Ace's blood ran cold and his mind raced through the possibilities of what was going to happen next. If they'd come here to kill him he would be dead by now. Not only that, they wouldn't have drawn attention to themselves by coming en masse. No, something else was going down here but he didn't know what.

"Yes, I'm going away for Christmas; what's it to you?" he responded, his voice trying to disguise the fact that he was terrified.

"I think not, Alfonso," cigar man replied. "We're taking you on another journey first. We just want to give you an idea of what happens when you say 'no' to the Family, but don't worry, we don't intend killing you, yet."

Ace could hear Madonna barking to be let in, so he threw the bag in his hand back in the house and slammed the front door behind him. He didn't want these men to know he had a dog as he would do anything to protect her, even agree to join the Mafia.

"Where are we going?" he asked, but no reply was offered as the two henchmen grabbed him by the arms and frogmarched him to the car and threw him onto the back seat. Cigar man slid in beside him while the other two went up front. As the car moved away, Ace looked back at the house, hoping and praying that his neighbor would realise that Madonna was on her own in the yard and would rescue her before she became too distressed.

As they passed the line of identical black cars and headed for the main road, the others fired up and slipped in behind them one by one. It went through Ace's mind that the cars would look to bystanders like a funeral procession without the hearse, but maybe that's what it was. As he sat on the cold black leather seat, he wondered how many other terrified souls had sat where he was sitting, waiting for the bullet in the brain, but then he stopped thinking about himself as it suddenly dawned on him where they were heading. They were going to take their revenge out on Bella and Alice and possibly the rest of the family too, and that could be horrific.

"Stop!" he yelled at cigar man. "Okay, I'll join your fucking family. Just leave the Masens alone; they've done nothing wrong."

"Oh, but they have," cigar man responded with an evil smile. "Their women have caused a lot of grief to the Family and someone has to pay. We're just taking you along so you can witness that we mean business."

Ace sat back in his seat and looked out of the window. He could tell they were driving towards the coast so he guessed where they were heading and a slow smirk spread across his face. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand so these three hoodlums couldn't pick up on his mirth as he didn't want them to have any indication that he wasn't worried about the Masens' safety at all, just their way of life being inadvertently revealed to these criminals. _His_ safety was another matter though, so he hedged his bets, said the Hail Mary and Our Father in his head, then carried on making his peace with God, Jesus or Mary, or whoever might be listening to his final confession.

" _I gave them a get-out, Heavenly Father, so I hope you'll exonerate me from whatever is going to happen to them shortly; just in case I'm with them in the queue to get into heaven. But I hope you'll allow me to stick around to watch, because this is going to be a whole lot of fun!_ "

* * *

Alice and Bella were upstairs helping Esme pack two small bags with clothes and other essentials for the long trip, while Jasper was packing into boxes the blood supplies that would sustain them while they were at sea. There was enough for Carlisle and Esme for about six weeks so he presumed the boat would dock occasionally to allow the Italians to go onto land to source their own forms of sustenance. While the family were busy, Aro and the other four vampires had taken over the conservatory while they waited for the family to say they were ready to leave for the marina and it was obvious they were getting impatient.

Carlisle was in the study and had been looking at maps and checking weather reports. There was a storm brewing over the Caribbean but hopefully by the time they were ready to make the Atlantic crossing it would have blown itself out. Even though their lives wouldn't have been at risk if they went overboard, the yacht wasn't built to survive hurricane-force winds, so an accurate forecast was vital.

The sun had fully risen by now and it was another glorious winter morning in Connecticut. The sea however was livelier than yesterday as a fresh breeze was blowing north to south, causing the few clouds that were breaking up the blue sky to zip across and disappear in a few minutes.

Carlisle stood up from the chair and sighed as he looked around the study. He had been born and brought up in this house and he remembered his father sitting in the exact same place at the exact same desk while he and Anthony had played on the floor while their father was trying to work. Not much had changed in this room in the past sixty years; only the presence of his computer showed that it was the 21st century and not the 1950's anymore.

Edward came into the study as Carlisle was folding his maps up carefully and sliding them into a leather wallet before putting them into a briefcase. Carlisle turned to Edward and put his arm around his shoulders.

"Come with me for a walk along the beach, son. I want to talk to you away from Aro's ears."

Edward nodded his head. He could feel a lump forming in his throat as he knew this was the moment he had been dreading, when his father was going to say a proper goodbye, and he didn't know whether he would be able to hold it together.

They walked onto the deck and were stopped by the male vampire.

"Where are you going?" he hissed. "Aro hasn't given permission for you to leave the house."

"That's because I've no intention of asking his permission," Carlisle responded, politely but firmly. "I'm hardly likely to run off leaving Esme behind, am I?"

"Let them go, Didier," Aro called from the conservatory, so the now not-nameless vampire shrugged his shoulders and stood back as Edward and Carlisle jumped down onto the sand and walked towards the sea. Edward could see Garrett and about ten of his coven sitting by the dunes; the others had obviously gone back to their homes now that the main danger had passed. On the opposite side of the beach a similar number of the Guard remained, waiting for Aro's instruction to follow the others back to Italy.

When they were far enough away from the house, they sat down on the sand in a beam of sunlight and chuckled as their exposed skin glistened where the morning sun touched it.

"We look like a pair of Las Vegas showgirls," Carlisle said with a grin. He was valiantly trying to lighten the mood, even though this could be the last time he would ever talk face to face with his son. "Who would have thought we would end up like this; two sparkling vampires sitting on a beach, trying to find the right words to say to each other?"

"I never thought it would end like this either, dad. I thought we would have a lot more time together. I know that you and mom don't intend coming home, but if Aro is true to his word and lets you go when mom is okay, can't Bella and I visit you while you're travelling?"

"I don't know, Edward; I don't know if I could cope with another goodbye."

Carlisle shook his head ruefully before continuing.

"This isn't the life for me or your mother. You know I'm not happy being like we are; constantly being afraid of discovery, staggering from one crisis to another. I'm not prepared to live by anyone else's rules either, least of all a two-thousand year old Italian's, so what's the point of all this subterfuge, living virtually cut off from society. All I want now is to spend some quality time with your mother and see a bit of the world, knowing that I don't have to worry about you anymore as you have Bella by your side. Wouldn't it be better for everybody if we just slipped away from this life when we're ready and not at a time dictated by that despot?"

"I don't know, dad. It seems to me as though you're giving up the opportunity to make up for the years you and mom lost. I know you're not going to like me saying this but I'm not ready to lose you just yet either. I want you and mom to be with me when I marry Bella, I want you to share in my success when I find a cure for dementia, but most of all I want to be part of a happy family for the first time in my life."

"I'm sorry, Edward. I accept now that I neglected you after your mother was taken away, but I can't turn the clock back and re-live those years. I'm really sorry for that."

Edward paused before responding. He knew he had to get something off his chest before his father left him for good, even though it might ruin their last father/son conversation. Now was his final opportunity to talk to him about his life growing up without a mother in Forks and how it had affected him. He drew a deep breath and then let all the hurt spill out of his body where it had lain since he was about ten years old.

"You have no idea, dad, how unhappy I was when I was a child. I'd lost my mother and you were at the hospital all the time when I was still really young. I got out of bed on my own in the morning and most nights I came home from school to an empty house. We had no friends over, or family outings, or holidays; you never even made it to my graduation. So if you're _really_ sorry, then make an effort now to put some of that right."

"Edward, I…."

"For once in your life, dad, think of _me_ for a change. I've never ever accused you of being selfish, but now I am. I buttoned my lip for years because I knew you were working to provide for me and mom, but I was desperately unhappy every moment I lived in Cullen House. Then, on my last night in Forks, I kissed a girl who from that moment on has always been the love of my life, but I walked away from Bella because of family duty. I missed out on ten years of being loved by her so that I could follow in yours and Anthony's footsteps so you could be proud of me. My whole life has been shaped by being a Masen, and now I'm expected to carry on being a Masen after being abandoned _again_. All I'm asking, dad, is for once in your life can you put _me_ first, so at least I can experience what having two loving parents feels like for a bit longer than a couple of months?"

Carlisle's jaw had dropped open and pain covered his face when it dawned on him how deep Edward's wounds were. He had no idea that Edward felt this way and it was like someone had opened the curtains and light had blazed into a darkened room. Carlisle's memory flashed back to seeing his son in the same over-washed clothes every day, with unhealthy skin and unkempt hair, hiding behind tinted glasses as he swotted over his school books every evening. He couldn't remember any times when they did anything for fun when Edward was a boy, as all his free time, which wasn't much, was spent sitting by Esme's side in the nursing home. He had wallowed in Edward's success at Yale and they had grown closer in the past year or so, but he had been living in a solitary condo while Edward had moved in with Annabel. It struck him like a hammer blow that apart from these last few months in the beach house, their father/ son relationship had been purely biological.

Edward pointed at the beach house where he could see Didier on the deck watching them intently.

"Back there, dad, I finally felt as though I was part of a family. I hinted at that in the car on the way to the marina yesterday, but you didn't pick up on it. Couldn't you tell that I was saying to you that I liked us all living together in the house. I get such a kick out of seeing mom smiling up at me when I come in the room and it's so good having you to talk to in the evening. I love being on the boat with you, working as a team as we push it to its limit. Can't you tell that I'm begging you not to do what you're planning to do; not yet anyway."

Carlisle put his head in his hands as he couldn't bear to see the distress on his son's face. He couldn't hide anything from him now; their shared genetic make-up made his mind an open book for Edward to read. He had been determined to sail away and not look back, but how could he now, knowing that he would also be sailing away from the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past and be a proper father to Edward, even though he was a grown man now.

But before he had a chance to respond to Edward's pleas, they sensed movement on the beach. Edward shot to his feet as the remainder of Aro's guard and Garrett's coven dived for cover in the dunes. The sound of a fleet of vehicles coming down the track broke the stillness of the tranquil morning and Edward knew without looking who was coming to visit.

"Holy fuck!" Edward hissed.

"Edward!" Carlisle responded. He couldn't stop himself rebuking his son for swearing. "What's happening?"

"It's the Mafia, and they haven't come for milk and cookies. Quick, we've got to warn the others."

Carlisle and Edward flew across the beach and leaped onto the deck. Without acknowledging Didier, Carlisle shot past him and sped upstairs to warn Esme that humans would be near the house. Edward ran into the conservatory where Jasper was already there with Aro, watching what was going on through the windows.

"Who are these people, Edward?" he asked accusingly.

"Mafia! In other words _your_ fucking countrymen. They're angry with Alice and Bella for interfering with their drug deals and they're also after a cut of my business and I guess they've come to threaten us. Welcome to America, Aro!"

Aro tut tut tutted under his breath and a slow smile spread across his face.

"Do you want me to get involved, Edward? I mean if Italians are causing a problem in your country, maybe fellow Italians should be the ones to resolve it."

Edward turned to Aro with a surprised look on his face.

"Do you know, Aro, I would be very glad of your assistance at this time. Let's go and welcome them, shall we?"

As they walked out onto the deck that faced the dunes, which was fortunately still in the shade of the morning sun, the cars were pulling up one by one, positioning themselves so they were purposely blocking the track. Apart from the leading car that stopped first, as each other vehicle pulled up behind, the occupants got out and stood by their cars waiting for instructions. Edward counted sixteen identically dressed men and they could see that the majority of them were carrying weapons of varying shapes and sizes.

As they stood on the deck, Jasper and the other four vampires joined them, so there were now seven vampires facing almost twenty Mafioso as they presumed four more would be in the first car.

The leading car finally opened its doors and the two henchmen got out first. One of them opened the rear door and dragged out the occupant and Edward gasped as he recognised Ace immediately.

"Shit! They've got Ace," he hissed.

Aro leaned over towards him.

"Is he a friend?"

"Friend and colleague, and he's Italian."

"I can see that, Edward. His football shirt gives him away."

"Can you try not to kill him, Aro. I would be very grateful."

"I'll do my best, Edward, but there are no guarantees here. If he witnesses what is probably going to happen, he will have to die. You know the rules."

Edward ran his hands through his hair in frustration, at this point not knowing what to do.

"How do you want to play this," Jasper asked. "Shall we let them shoot first?"

"That would be amusing," Aro responded. "Of course they would _all_ have to die afterwards; you do realise that?"

"Yep, but I'm not crying. Anyway, I bet your Guard could do with a meal. I guess they haven't fed since you left Italy and they've got a long journey home. This is almost like phoning for a Pizza delivery – dinner delivered straight to your door."

Aro laughed heartily at the joke but Jasper was right. He did need to feed, so in his mind these worthless humans who had come to kill this family would be giving up their lives instead of other innocent folk that would certainly have been their victims on the way back to Italy, so it was a win win situation here.

Edward laughed too as he could see that the man who was obviously in charge was getting irritated, but he was genuinely concerned for Ace's safety. He decided that as soon as these bastards raised their guns to shoot, he would race towards him and snatch him away from the fighting zone and knock him out. Hopefully Aro would let him live if he hadn't seen any evidence of supernatural activity.

"Are you okay, Ace?" Edward shouted to his friend.

"Couldn't be better, Edward. I hope you've got a soccer ball in the house somewhere; we can have a kick about on the beach later."

"Silence!" cigar man hissed then he walked a few steps towards the house.

"Where are the rest of your family, Edward Masen."

"Indoors, where they're staying. Don't come one step closer to me, you tosser, or you'll regret it."

Cigar man turned on his heel and looked at his army of men and laughed then turned back to face Edward.

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, I'm warning you in front of your men. This is your last chance; let Alfonso go and walk away, or you'll have to take the consequences."

"I would listen to him if I were you, wanker!" Ace spat at cigar man and then grinned.

Edward and Ace's eyes met and Edward read his mind and knew for certain that Ace was aware what he was, as Ace was saying over and over in his head 'Vampire'. Now Edward really feared for Ace's life because Aro might pick up on that if he had reason to touch him if this confrontation ended in a fight, so Edward knew he would have to act fast to save him.

Cigar man reached inside his coat and pulled out a small gun and pointed it at Ace's chest. He didn't care anymore that Mario had ordered him to bring Alfonso back alive. He was being ridiculed in front of his men and Alfonso and the rest of this arrogant family were going to pay with their lives for not treating him with respect. He would tell Mario that Alfonso died in the shoot out and that would be that.

"Bring your family out or he's dead," he spat with as much menace as he could inject into those words.

Edward nodded at Ace and mouthed to him, "You'll be fine, don't worry."

Ace smiled back at him and closed his eyes.

"Fucking shoot him then," Edward yelled, not expecting cigar man to act immediately, but he did, and as the gunshot rang out Edward leapt off the deck and in a flash had Ace in his arms and was carrying him away from the scene.

"What the…" the henchman said as Ace was torn from his grip by a barely visible force and he staggered forward, colliding with cigar man.

"Kill them all," cigar man shrieked at his men, but before they had a chance to raise their guns and open fire, the Guard, plus the vampires from Garrett's coven who still occasionally snacked on humans, appeared from their hiding places in the dunes and fell on the surprised gunmen and hauled them away so they could consume their blood in private, leaving a stunned cigar man facing Aro and Jasper on his own, Aro's four companions having joined the Guard for breakfast.

As screams from the dunes filled the air, cigar man raised his own gun and shot Jasper point blank in the chest, but the bullet richocheted off his jacket and disappeared in the sand.

"Another jacket ruined," Jasper said dispairingly to Aro.

"Would you like to go first?" Aro offered.

"No thank you, I'm not partial to Italian food. Be my guest," Jasper replied politely, as though he was offering him the first slice of pizza.

"Don't mind if I do," Aro responded and bared his teeth.

Cigar man raised his gun and shot Aro in his chest as well, but Aro didn't flinch.

"Now look what you've done to my Armani shirt; that's not very nice, is it?"

Cigar man raised the gun to shoot at Aro's head this time. He was wide-eyed and terrified, but before he had a chance to put pressure on the trigger, Aro sunk his teeth into his neck and a strangled cry was the last thing that emanated from his disgusting mouth.

Jasper was just about to go back in the house to give the all-clear when he heard Edward calling from the beach. He raced over to where Edward was bent over Ace who was bleeding from a wound to his chest. Jasper was surprised that Ace was still alive, as he presumed the bullet would have killed him instantly. Fortunately it had missed his heart and he was still conscious, but he was gasping for breath and it was obvious his lungs were filling with blood and he hadn't got long.

Edward looked frantically at Jasper.

"I don't know what to do. Ace knows what we are and wants me to change him. Can you help?"

Jasper knelt down next to Ace and grabbed his hand.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Ace managed to nod his head then closed his eyes, not knowing if he would ever open them again. Jasper knew he only had a short time to save him so he sunk his teeth into his neck and held the bite for at least a minute. As Jasper's venom spread through his body, Ace's life flashed before him and with his last completely human breath he choked out the one word that was the most important to him…

"Madonna."

* * *

 **Hats off to those of you who guessed the Mafia would end up as breakfast/lunch/dinner/BBQ for the Volturi. I'm sure Edward isn't feeling guilty about the demise of these people, like he did over Tom, but Mario is going to wonder what the heck has happened to all of his gangsters. Oh dear, how sad, never mind!**

 **Many of you thought that Ace would make a great vampire - well you're right; he will. He is definitely winning lots of fans as this story moves to its conclusion, so well done for being on the same wavelength as me.**

 **Next chapter Carlisle and Esme prepare to set sail for Italy. Let's hope that Carlisle has listened to Edward's pleas and will reconsider never coming home again.**

 **Joan xx**


	25. Chapter 25

**Apart from Mario, who is blissfully ignorant that his minions have been 'taken out' for lunch, the immediate Mafia problem is solved. Jasper has saved Ace's life by biting him so he is definitely going to make for a very 'intriguing' vampire! (And a very popular one with readers)!**

 **Now Edward is preparing himself to say goodbye to his parents and his heart is breaking. He doesn't trust Aro (can you blame him), but Alice has said they'll be fine. She's been right so far, but he can't see any way this is going to work out well.**

 **Here goes - it's going to be emotional. Get your handkerchiefs/valium ready because we are having to say ...**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE - Goodbye!

* * *

Jasper detached himself from Ace's neck then looked carefully at his face to check for signs of life. Ace's breathing was just discernible so Jasper was pleased to announce that Ace was thankfully alive, albeit unconscious.

"Will he be okay?" Edward asked frantically. He was also valiantly trying to ignore the tempting aroma of Ace's blood that was still bubbling from his chest. This was the first time Edward had been close to fresh, human blood since he was changed; Tom's blood had already started to deteriorate when they first discovered him and therefore had zero appeal.

"He should be," Jasper responded, "although I must admit I haven't changed anyone like this for over a hundred years. I injected your mom and dad as it's easier to gauge how much venom has been transferred. I presume Alice did the same to you and Bella?"

Edward nodded in affirmation as he watched Ace's face for the first signs that the venom was taking effect.

"What do we do with him now?"

"He's going to start thrashing about fairly soon so we need to find somewhere where he'll be safe."

"Can't we just take him in the house?"

"I'd don't think that would be a good idea; he's still more human than vampire at the moment, so I'd prefer to keep him away from Aro and his clan, and Esme."

Jasper thought quickly then bent down and went through his pockets and pulled out a bunch of keys.

"Ferrari, nice!" he said approvingly. "Do you think that's his house key on the bunch?"

"Probably."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"Why, are you going to take him there?"

"Yes, I think it'll be the safest place and at least it'll be somewhere familiar when he wakes up. I'll get Alice to come with me. Stay here while I get her and then we'll put him in the Cherokee."

"The track is blocked with Mafia cars," Edward pointed out.

"Shit, I forgot. I'll ask some of Garrett's coven to drive them away and dump them. Stay here and I'll sort it."

Edward sat on the sand next to his friend and colleague who had already started twitching. He recalled the excruciating part of the changing process and didn't envy Ace one bit as the next twenty-four hours or so would be hell. As he waited for Jasper to return, he recalled the conversations he had with Ace about his appearance and wondered how and when he had worked out that his boss was a vampire. Then he recalled an earlier conversation they had, not long after Ace joined the lab, when Ace told him how he and his mother had to move away from Sicily to get away from the Mafia and they had lived under assumed names in a small village on the mainland. Edward for the first time wondered whether they had lived either in or near to Volterra, which would be a plausible explanation. He tried to look into Ace's mind, to maybe get some clues on that and also to read what he was thinking as the venom took hold of his body, but Ace's thoughts were in turmoil as his human side was already trying to fight off the vampire invader, and Edward realised he would get nothing from him until he opened his eyes again.

Edward looked around him and there was a lot of activity in the dunes and on the beach. The vampires had finished feeding and now it was time to get rid of the bodies and their weapons. Some of them were taking their victims out to sea, while others were lifting large rocks and burying them a long way down in the sand. Didier was dragging the remains of his and Aro's breakfast towards the water and he carried on walking until his head had completely disappeared beneath the waves, emerging empty-handed only a few minutes later.

Jasper and Alice were walking hand in hand across the beach and when they got to where Ace was lying, Alice bent over him and brushed some hair away from his forehead.

"He's going to be a very handsome vampire, boys. You might have a bit of competition here!"

"Very funny, Alice," Jasper said sarcastically as he was not amused. "Come on, let's get him home and tie him to a bed."

"I wish you would do that to me, Jasper!"

"Okay, that's too much information, thank you," Edward cut in, trying to inject some disgust into his voice.

Edward gave Jasper Ace's home address for the Satnav and warned them about Madonna, who was very protective of her master and wasn't very good with strangers. Jasper didn't like dogs and from the way Edward described Madonna, he was expecting to be greeted by a snarling Doberman, not a small, fluffy, white poodle. Edward wished he could be there just to see the look on his face when they walked in the house and met her for the first time and he hoped Jasper would see the funny side of the wind-up.

Edward carried Ace up to the Cherokee where he laid him across the back seat, securing him with the seat belts just in case he started thrashing around during the journey. He noticed that Jasper had taken some packs of the animal blood for when Ace woke up in a couple of days' time, but he was hoping to be there when Ace opened his eyes, as he needed as many friends around him as possible when the enormity of what had happened to him sunk home. Aro had given him and Bella three weeks to think about the implications of becoming a vampire after he had laid down his ultimatum; Ace had decided in about three seconds.

As Alice ran back to the house to say goodbye to Carlisle and Esme, five of Garrett's coven had started up the Mafia's cars and were driving them to the turning point on the drive, then they headed off up the track on their way to abandon them on their way back to New York.

A few minutes later Jasper and Alice were ready to set off. Aro was livid that they were leaving, but he didn't have any reason to stop them as he had said in front of Garrett that he bore no ill-will to any of the family, which of course was a lie. He was still determined to get his revenge on this couple in the future, but smiled through gritted teeth as they drove past him. As Alice's eyes locked with his, he physically recoiled with shock when he read what was in her eyes, as there was something in her glare that unnerved him. Nobody had ever looked at him like that before and survived for long. There was pure hatred, loathing, contempt and disgust in her eyes, but there was something else, like an air of triumphalism. He admitted to himself that she had escaped his vengeance this time, but there would be no escape the next time as the gloves were off and he resolved to make it his mission to destroy this arrogant couple sooner rather than later.

Edward wandered slowly back to the house. The events of the last hour had interrupted his conversation with his father so he wasn't aware whether he had listened to his pleas and was now planning to return to Connecticut once they were free of Aro's will. He remembered Alice saying to him that Aro had no intention of taking his parents to Volterra, but he wasn't sure what she meant by that. He knew he had to trust Alice; she had been right so far about everything else, but he didn't want his parents walking blindly into danger, and when they were on the boat it would be two against five which he was not happy about.

Aro was waiting for him on the deck; his eyes now bright red whereas before they had been a dull maroon color.

"I understand Jasper has just changed your friend to prevent him from dying. Did he know before today that you were a vampire?" Aro asked this with an accusatory tone in his voice.

"I guess he did; he must have worked it out for himself though as I didn't tell him. Ace has an IQ of over 200, so nothing much gets past him. He lived in Italy when he was growing up, so maybe your family in Volterra are not as discreet as you think they are," Edward spat back.

"There have always been rumours about us, but we ensure there's no proof or witnesses."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter now. He's one of us, whatever that means."

"We have to protect our kind, Edward. Can you imagine the furore there would be if the human population had proof that fairy tales are really true and vampires do exist in the real world?"

"Yes, Aro. I get what you're saying, but you know and I know that my mother is no threat to our kind. According to your laws, Alec was more of a threat; raping and murdering his way across the country and other parts of the world. You're punishing the wrong people and you know it."

"That may be true, but I have to be seen to be strong, Edward. If I lose my grip on how vampires conduct themselves in society, we will, without doubt, be discovered and humans with power will seek to obliterate us. Mankind over the centuries has always destroyed anything it doesn't understand or cannot dominate. Self-preservation is a natural reaction and is totally understandable. We would be seen as a threat to the human species, as we have vastly superior powers and would be treated the same as if invaders from outer space had landed on the earth. We are in effect a 'master race', even though we are small in number. We would not be allowed to survive for long."

"I've never thought of myself as that, Aro. I'm still the same Edward Masen as before, who just wants to live quietly with his family. I'm not seeking to be a master of anyone."

"Yet you imposed your will over my son and destroyed him."

"Yes, my family did impose our collective will because, Aro, it was for _our_ self-preservation; a natural reaction as you have just agreed. He was a danger to me, to you, to Alice, to every vampire in existence. Look me in the eye, Aro, and tell me we did wrong. Knowing what you learned from Garrett, wouldn't you have done exactly the same thing in our shoes?"

Aro didn't say a word, but Edward was picking up his mood and he knew Aro was wavering, but he also knew he couldn't push it, so he kept quiet while Aro was debating what to do next.

Edward could clearly read what Aro's intentions were now and how dangerous it would be for his parents to be on the boat with him, but Alice had told him they would be fine so he had to let it go. He remained silent while Aro deliberated in his head what his next move would be and eventually he spoke.

"Much as I would like to stay longer in this beautiful spot, Edward, I think it's time we headed for the boat."

"So you're still intending taking my parents to Volterra."

"Only for a short while, just for my own peace of mind."

"I'll go and see if they're ready then," he said and walked upstairs to where Bella, Esme and Carlisle were finishing the packing.

"Aro says it's time to go. I'll take the Volvo so all four of us can travel to the marina together with the luggage."

"What about Aro and the others," Esme asked.

"They'll make their own way along the coast and will meet us there."

Bella wandered over to Edward and put her arms around him.

"Alice says everything will be fine, and we must trust her."

"I know," but I don't trust Aro," Edward whispered in her ear. "Any sign of Molly yet?"

"No, I've been calling her but she's probably too frightened to come back."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I know how much you love that cat."

Edward picked up the bags and carried them downstairs and out to the car and saw that Jasper had already loaded the blood supplies and some other items for the boat. Carlisle, Esme and Bella came out of the house and without speaking to Aro they took their seats in the car as Edward closed the trunk. Carlisle's eyes were fixed forward; he couldn't bear to look behind him at the house again as memories, good and bad, were coming back to him and he was feeling emotional. He'd done it; he'd walked out of the beach house, possibly for the last time.

Before he got in the car, Edward waved at Garrett and the remainder of his coven before they disappeared in a flash back towards New York. At the same time, the remaining members of the Guard went north to start the long journey back to Italy but without Aro this time. The only people that now remained on the beach were his family and the Volturi, plus the hidden bodies of nineteen Mafia who wouldn't be going anywhere ever again.

"I'll see you at the marina," Edward shouted to Aro, then slid in the car and powered the engine up. As he drove slowly towards the main road he was praying to God that Alice's foresight was accurate and he wasn't driving his parents towards a watery grave.

* * *

Brad's car was parked in a spot off the highway where from a high vantage point he had been watching the beach house for the past ten minutes. Using his binoculars he could just see the Volvo and the red and yellow Porsches parked by the house, but the Cherokee wasn't there and he was cursing his luck if the whole family had gone out for the day and he'd missed them. He couldn't stake out the house 24/7 or he would freeze to death, but he was determined to be there when they fell into the trap he'd laid for them as there would be no escaping. So he would sit in the cold for the next hour and wait to see if any of them emerged from the house and then he would follow them to make sure that this time luck wasn't on their side.

Brad was still technically on the run, but since the FBI had taken over his precinct he had been spotted several times by cops that he knew very well. They had turned a blind eye and pretended not to see him, even though an APB with his name on it was in force throughout Connecticut. The FBI was not popular in this part of the world at the moment and the agents had come up against difficult and uncooperative police officers during their investigations into corruption. There was a lot of sympathy among the ranks for Brad, and also for his two partners in crime, as most of the force didn't believe what they had been told by the FBI. The idea of cops being in the pay of the Mafia didn't ring true and Brad had been well-liked, so they pretended not to see him as he drove through the town that only a few days ago had been his personal playground. The two traffic cops had evaded capture by deciding to leave the state and start a new life elsewhere, rather than risk being caught and spending the next twenty years behind bars, but Brad was staying. He wanted to make a good impression for his new friends in the Mafia, especially Mario, and wiping out this family would be the first step towards being accepted into the Mafia Family, even though his ancestry was pure Irish and not Italian.

Brad turned the heater on for five minutes so he could feel his fingers again. He could see his breath in front of his face it was so cold. As he reluctantly turned the heater off he saw movement at the house and picked up his binoculars. He watched excitedly as Edward loaded some bags into the trunk of the Volvo, then he saw another male and two females getting into the car. He thought he saw other movements on the beach, but whatever it was moved so quickly that he couldn't decipher what was creating the strange blurring effect, so he dismissed it, putting it down to his brain cells freezing.

The Volvo had started to travel up the track and as it neared the main road he slumped down in his seat so he wouldn't be spotted. The Volvo reached the road junction and hesitated before turning left then accelerating away. Brad sat up in his seat and started the engine and slammed it into drive and put his foot down.

"Fingers crossed they're going where I hope they're going," Brad said aloud to himself. "You fucked my life up, Edward Masen, so I'm going to fuck up yours now!"

* * *

Bella was sitting up front with Edward and had her hand on his leg while he was driving. Every now and again Edward would take his right hand off the wheel and squeeze hers, or just touch it gently for some reassurance. His mom and dad were sitting behind them looking anxious. Carlisle had one arm around Esme's shoulders while gripping both of her hands with his other hand. This was the first time Esme had left the house or the beach since she was changed, apart from when she was kidnapped by Alec, and as she had been cut off from the outside world for the past nineteen years and had been practically house-bound for several years before that, this was her first foray out into the real world since Edward was about seven or eight years old.

Edward kept glancing in the rear-view mirror at his parents, trying to pick up on their thoughts, but his father was masking his intentions for the future by speaking to Esme about everything they were seeing. As well as watching his parents, Edward was also concentrating on the road ahead, so he wasn't able to pay any attention to what or who was behind him. In his mind the Mafia problem had been taken care of, therefore he didn't spot Brad's car following at a safe distance. As he approached the road that led to the marina, Edward was tempted to put his foot down and keep driving, but he knew how futile that would be. Aro's spies would find them eventually and that would be the end of their lives without question.

He slowed down and turned left into the narrow road that led to the marina, where they could see the masts of hundreds of yachts bobbing about on the water over the top of a line of trees. Edward drove to the entrance and tapped in the code that raised the security barrier, then drove into the parking lot, pulling up as near as possible to the wooden jetty that led to theirs and several other boats. Thankfully the marina was completely deserted as it was still early in the morning, and as it was four days before Christmas and everyone was either still at work or in the shops, theirs was the only car in the lot. He looked around for Aro and saw him walking through the tables of the cafe with the other four vampires and Edward thought how ridiculous he looked in his long flowing cloak and the others didn't look much better either.

Edward got out the car and walked round to the trunk and opened it. Carlisle joined him and picked up one of the bags and slung it over his shoulder.

"Which one is your boat?" Aro asked.

Carlisle pointed to the magnificent racing yacht moored near to the far end of the long jetty, wedged between two other impressive vessels.

"That one, second from the end and unnamed as yet," he said proudly then turned to face Bella, "but if Molly doesn't return, I'll call her Molly." He thought about that for a second. "Oh hang it, I'll call her Molly the Second anyway!" he added with a smile.

Bella flung her arms around Carlisle and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she said, her voice wavering. She was desperately hoping Molly would return once the vampires had gone but as time went on she feared the worst.

The car was unloaded and all nine of them were now standing on the jetty ready for the final farewells. Edward didn't want an audience when he said goodbye to his parents so he asked Carlisle for the keys to the boat. When Carlisle handed them over he tossed them at Aro.

"Do you mind; I would like to say goodbye to my parents in private?"

"Of course," Aro said. "My apologies, I wasn't thinking. Don't be too long though."

"I'll take as long as I want, Aro. And I'm not going to say 'it's been a pleasure', because it hasn't. I hope I don't see you again for a very long time."

Aro ignored Edward's cutting remark and turned his back on him and smirked, knowing that in a few hours' time his parents would be torn to shreds and their dismembered bodies would be scattered across the ocean floor. He strolled along the jetty towards the boat, stopping now and again to look at the other luxury yachts and cruisers, and his evil mind was sorry that he wouldn't be there to witness Edward's grief when he learned what had happened to his family.

Edward gathered his parents in his arms and hugged them tightly as Bella stood back and watched. Her heart was breaking for Edward as she knew how distraught he was that he was losing them so quickly. She was also desperately concerned for their safety as she didn't trust Aro one inch. How Edward was going to watch them sail away she didn't know. Vampires couldn't cry, but she doubted whether he would he would be able to hold it together when the boat finally disappeared from view.

All the time Aro had been in the house she had been tempted to give him a piece of her mind, but Alice had pleaded with her not to antagonise him so she had kept her mouth shut and kept out of his way, but she truly hated him with every fibre of her being. On the one hand she didn't want to say goodbye to Edward's parents, on the other she wanted Aro gone and out of her life for good. That moment was now and she was fearful that Edward might lose it and do something dangerous.

* * *

Brad parked his car in the street leading to the marina and hurriedly jogged the rest of the way to the entrance where he ducked under the unmanned barrier and walked the short distance to the parking lot. He hid amongst some bushes where he had a good view of the Volvo and its occupants who had just got out of the car and were unloading the contents of the trunk onto the jetty. He had only seen Edward in the flesh before, but it was obvious who the other three were. The family were obviously preparing to go on a long journey but he was disappointed that Jasper and Alice weren't with them, but his plan was working out even better than he'd anticipated; four out of six wasn't bad for his first attempt. He could deal with the other two later, maybe at Edward's funeral. He patted his pocket just to ensure his gun was there, even though he wasn't planning on using it today.

As he was watching Edward talking to his parents, five other people turned up; four men and one woman, all wearing unusual clothing and moving in a strange way. They came over and talked to Edward, so Brad presumed they owned one of the other yachts and were just being polite.

The five strangers eventually walked up the jetty and stood next to where Carlisle's boat was moored. As Brad watched Edward hugging his parents, it became obvious to him that this was not the start of a family outing at all; Edward was saying goodbye to his parents and it looked to him as though only those two and the five strangers were getting on the yacht.

"Holy Fuck," Brad muttered under his breath, then he slunk away back to his car to get as much distance as possible from the marina before the shit hit the fan.

* * *

Aro stood impatiently at the end of the jetty, watching and listening to Edward's heartfelt farewell to his parents. Aro was content now with his decision not to be lenient; Edward needed teaching a lesson because he refused to accept him as the supreme ruler of all the vampires on the planet, so a show of force was what was needed to remind him who was boss.

He would have killed Edward and Jasper too, but Garrett's testimony about Alec in front of Didier meant that he had no lawful reason to do this at present and even though he was head of the Guard, he needed to be seen to be acting within his own laws. The Guard had recently been showing signs of discontent, and one of the ringleaders had been made an example of in front of them just before he left Italy, but he didn't want to give them any more reasons to be antagonistic towards him as collectively they were dangerous.

Now he just wanted to get going and finish what he planned to do when he left Italy, which was to dispose of Esme, and Carlisle as a bonus, so he could inform the residents of Volterra that he had personally dealt with the dangerous problem of an uncontrollable vampire. He would tell them that Esme had attacked humans without discretion on the journey to Italy and therefore couldn't be trusted to keep their secret and because of his action in killing her and her troublesome husband, they were all safe again. He also planned, with Caius and Marcus's help, to dispose of Didier on the journey as well, as he was getting too powerful. He planned to blame his death on Carlisle and Esme, but he would wait for an opportune moment to kill him, as Didier was the only one who would be able to sail the boat back to land after he'd killed Carlisle.

Edward was still clinging to his parents desperately, not wanting to let go as he feared for them.

"I want you to come back," he was pleading. "I love you both so much; _please_ don't make this our last goodbye," he begged.

"Edward, I'll let you know what our intentions are when we leave Italy; is that acceptable? I promise I'll contact you as soon as we're back on the boat."

Edward nodded his head and wrapped his arms around them both even tighter.

"Mom, dad, be on your guard the whole time," Edward whispered. "I still don't trust Aro."

"I promise we will, son. Don't worry about us."

"Hurry up!," Aro shouted.

"You've got the keys," Edward shouted back furiously. "Do something useful for a change and open up the cabin; we need to load the luggage and the blood supplies before you sail."

Aro walked forward to climb onto the boat first. As he wasn't wearing suitable deck shoes and the boat was moving about in the water quite vigorously, Didier held his arm as he put his foot onto the wet and slippery surface, then Didier cautiously followed him on board. Aro was still hanging on to him as he went to take the first step down towards the cabin, the keys still in his hand. As he dropped his foot onto the step he fell forward and cracked his head on the cabin door handle as his foot had caught on a length of wire that was stretched across the top of the steps. Aro cried out as he fell and the other four vampires rushed forward to assist their master, who was now glaring furiously at Edward as though he had laid a trap to make him look stupid on purpose.

Carlisle and Esme were hugging Bella while Edward picked up the heavy cardboard box containing the blood supplies and was walking along the jetty when they heard Aro shriek as he fell over on the boat. Edward was trying valiantly to stop himself laughing out loud as he watched the others rush forward to help him get up, when there was a brilliant flash of light followed instantly by a shock wave that hit Edward full on, blowing him off his feet and throwing him backwards. He finished up almost at the top of the jetty, flat on his back with the box of blood on top of his face and chest. A second later the boat exploded into a thousand pieces and as he lay prostrate on the ground, he felt a blast of intense heat roar over him.

His fingers were still clutching the box and they were scorched by the blast, but the box had luckily acted as a protective barrier and had saved his face and hair from being burnt by the scorching air. As he lay on his back, he could feel the heat burning his feet through the soles of his shoes and he knew he had to get up and away as fast as possible. He pushed the box from his chest and sprang upright and was greeted with the site of an inferno raging through the wreckage of his father's boat. Flames were shooting high in the air and obliterating the shape of what was left of the hull and black smoke was billowing from where the cabin used to be. As he backed away from the heat, wondering what the hell had just happened, he was showered with sharp fragments from the hull that were now falling like rain onto the jetty and the surrounding boats, embedding themselves into anything in their path.

As he stared into the heart of the fire, he could see shapes moving amongst the flames followed by the horrific sight of five blazing vampires staggering off the boat, vainly trying to pull their burning clothes away from their bodies whilst screaming in agony. Instead of jumping into the water, which is what he would have done, they lurched towards him, their melting faces a picture of rage, bewilderment and fear; their burning arms outstretched towards him as though they were trying to reach him, either desperately seeking help or to exact revenge, he didn't know which. Edward backed away from the firey figures as they staggered closer, then one by one they collapsed onto the jetty just a few feet away from where he was standing and slowly disintegrated before his eyes.

Edward could hear Bella behind him trying to calm Esme, now that they could see through the smoke that he was safe. He also sensed that Carlisle had come up behind him and together they watched the supremely satisfying sight of Aro and his brothers, and Monique and Didier, turn into five piles of smouldering ash in less than a few minutes. When the flames had died down, Edward walked forward and bent over one of the piles of ash and using one of Carlisle's gloves, he carefully picked out the boat keys that Aro had still been clutching in his hand when he collapsed on the ground. They were still hot from the fire so he waved them about in the air for a moment and blew away traces of the fine powder before dropping them into his pocket.

"Well, that's something you don't see every day," Carlisle commented dryly. "Bit of a bugger really; Esme quite fancied going to Italy."

"I hope the boat was insured, dad," Edward responded with a hint of humour in his voice. "Can't wait to see what you put on the claim form!"

Carlisle chuckled then stroked his chin as he thought about the implications of what had just happened.

"The Guard is going to be a bit put out though." Carlisle commented, sounding slightly worried. "This might take a bit of explaining away."

"Hopefully they won't find out for a while. They're well on their way north by now, so when Aro doesn't turn up in Volterra, maybe they'll all have a party to celebrate."

Carlisle went back to make sure Esme was okay as Bella came along the jetty and put her arms around Edward then kissed his fingers one by one where they had been scorched by the heat.

"So Alice was right all along. I wonder if this is what she saw. If so, I don't know how she kept it from us all this time."

"She probably did see this. She said humans were involved, so I'm wondering whether the Mafia were responsible for this as well. I don't suppose we'll ever find out who rigged the boat though."

"Does this mean we can live our lives as we want to now, without the fear of retribution from the Volturi all the time?"

"I hope so, Bella. We must still be careful though or we'll be treated like freaks, but I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders now that Aro is no more. It also means that I've got my parents for a bit longer and maybe dad will reconsider leaving, now that the threat from Aro has gone and they've nothing to sail away in. If so, then all this grief we've been through over the past few months has been worthwhile."

Carlisle had found a broom that was propped up near the cafe and he handed it to Edward with a broad grin on his face.

"Would you like to do the honors?" he asked.

"With pleasure," Edward replied, and took the broom from his hand, and in a few swift movements, the ashes of the five vampires, which included the three 'brothers' who had ruled the Volturi with an iron fist for the past two thousand years, were either floating in the sea or had been blown away by the wind.

"Fucking Good Riddance," Edward called out to Aro's spirit as he made the final sweep of the broom.

"Edward!" Esme said reprovingly, and they all burst out laughing.

* * *

 **Bye bye Aro!**

 **I hope you enjoyed the demise of the Three Amigos. I thought it was about time someone finished them off - Way to Go, Brad ! (If only he knew what he'd done). Hahaha.**

 **We're coming to the end of the story (29 chapters and an Epilogue), but there is still some more excitement to come. Bella is going to have a nice surprise in the next chapter; she needs a bit of a cheering up.**

 **Joan xx**


	26. Chapter 26

**Aro is gone for good and there is no boat left for Carlisle and Esme to sail away on, so Edward is bound to be deliriously happy about that. The Guard are already on their way back to Italy, so they are soon going to be wondering what the heck has happened to their leader when Aro doesn't show up in a few weeks' time.**

 **Our family have had a tough few months and now they can go home and get ready for Christmas. Finding Molly will be a priority, and then they can settle down and get on with their lives, hopefully without another surprise or disaster waiting for them. But of course that isn't going to happen, which is why this chapter is called ...**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX - Surprise !

* * *

"We need to get away from here," Edward said to Carlisle as he turned his back on the burnt out wreckage of the yacht. "The Fire Service, the police and the FBI are probably already on their way and I'd rather not be interviewed in broad daylight. Let's get all the luggage in the car and get going."

Edward had been picking pieces of the yacht out of his clothes and hair when it dawned on him that the explosion had probably been heard for miles around. If they were caught outside when the sun came out from behind the clouds they could be in serious trouble, never mind having to explain to the authorities, yet again, why they were in the vicinity of another crime scene.

Bella led Esme back to the car while Carlisle and Edward slung the blood supplies and luggage in the trunk. Before he got behind the wheel, Edward took a last look at the remains of their yacht and the two vessels either side that were still blazing. Plumes of billowing black smoke were trailing upwards into the sky and charred pieces of fabric from the sails were fluttering in the wind. On the jetty, grey shadows were burnt into the wood, marking the spots where the five vampires had disintegrated into dust, but even though he had seen it happen with his own eyes, and the evidence of their passing was there in front of him, Edward couldn't get his head around the enormity of what had just happened. Two thousand years of memories had disappeared in an instant when Aro was reduced to a pile of ash by person or persons unknown, and there had been enough of Aro's face left when he was staggering towards him for Edward to see the fear in his eyes before he collapsed on the ground and was finally consumed by the flames.

Aro's death had been excruciating, but Edward reflected on how many thousands of humans and vampires had suffered an equally agonising death at his and his brothers' hands over the past twenty centuries, either as a source of food, or ruthlessly murdered in order for the Volturi to maintain their grip on the vampire world? Edward shrugged his shoulders philosophically as he pondered that question, glad that he didn't know the answer as it was too horrible to contemplate. He finally turned his back on the carnage and after clearing the Volvo's windshield of more fragments of the yacht, he climbed into the car and sped away from the marina, anxious to put as much distance as possible from the scene before they were contacted by the police.

During the journey home, Bella called Alice and told her what had happened and was met with whoops of joy when she told her that Aro and the others were dead.

"Did you foresee this?" Bella asked her jubilant friend when she'd calmed down.

"I did see it, but I didn't believe it for a long time to be honest. It was only when the Mafia turned up yesterday that I knew for certain this was what was going to happen. I almost gave the game away when we left the house this morning. I knew I was seeing Aro for the last time and he would be dead soon and I couldn't help gloating. He noticed my expression and he tried to bore into my mind, but luckily we only had eye contact for a fleeting second as I was in the car and Jasper was driving away. Now you can understand why I had to keep quiet. If any of you had known that he was going to die, he might have seen it in your eyes and would've been suspicious. You all had to play your parts innocently just in case Aro touched any of you and saw what his fate would be when he got on the boat. It was a huge gamble but it's paid off."

Edward called out so that Alice could hear.

"Do you know who planted the explosives?"

"No, I only know it was a human. I'm sorry I can't see anything in the future that pins the blame on anyone."

"How is Ace?"

"Thrashing about as you can imagine but that's to be expected. Our biggest problem is Madonna who's going insane; she can't understand why Ace isn't responding to her. She won't stop barking and it's driving us both nuts. Jasper doesn't think the change will take long so hopefully she'll shut up soon or I think he'll kill her. We've already had the neighbors banging on the door wondering what the hell's going on. We've told them that we all went out to dinner last night and Ace has had an allergic reaction to some shellfish and is throwing up everywhere. Anyway, I'd better go, my phone's about to die, it needs charging. I'll call you when Ace comes round and when he's feeling okay we'll bring him back to the house. Speak later."

Bella flipped her phone shut and rested her head on Edward's shoulder.

"I don't think I can cope with any more stress, can you?"

"No, I just want to go home, lock the rest of the world out for the next few days and get my mind back on track. I mean, what else could go wrong?"

"I just want to find Molly. Do you think she'll come back, now all the others have gone?"

"I hope so, Bella. We'll go out and look for her as soon as we've got mom settled. We won't give up until we've found her; promise."

The rest of the journey was uneventful. They could hear the sound of sirens in the distance, so someone had reported the explosion at the marina. Edward was counting on the jetties not being covered by CCTV or he would have some very difficult questions to answer, but he couldn't recall ever seeing any cameras in evidence around their end of the site.

As he was driving, Edward thought hard about who could have rigged the boat. He didn't want to worry Bella anymore, but the person who did it could still be out there. If the explosives had been planted immediately after his last trip, which was the day before the night Tom died, it was possible that the person or persons responsible were already dead or behind bars. It could have been Tom he thought, but then dismissed that as unlikely. Explosives were difficult to get hold of and it really wasn't Tom's style. Brad possibly could have got hold of explosives, but he would surely have been arrested by now so if it was him he wasn't a threat anymore. The Mafia seemed to be the most likely culprits he thought. It was probably the two guys on the motorbike that had targeted Bella's office, which meant that they were possibly still at large. But maybe they had been among the twenty or so guys who had ended up as lunch for the vampires and their bodies were now fish food. Whatever, he knew he couldn't relax just yet, but hopefully Alice would be able to warn them again if another lunatic was out there waiting to strike.

As they turned onto the track leading to the beach everyone in the car heaved a sigh of relief when they saw the chimneys poking out the top of the house, but as they got nearer and the whole house and the drive came in to view, they spotted an unknown car parked next to the two Porsches.

"That can't be the police already, can it, Edward?" Bella asked.

"I wouldn't have thought so, but I can't think who else it might be," Edward replied sounding puzzled. He debated whether to turn the car around and wait until the visitor had gone, but he was curious to find out who it was. He didn't sense any danger so decided to keep going. He slowed the car down to a crawl, to give them the opportunity to spot if any humans or vampires were by the house or on the beach, but there was no-one in sight. Carlisle had taken hold of Esme's hands and was warning her that there might be humans nearby so she must stay in control. Esme nodded her head, but she still looked scared.

As they crept nearer to the strange car, the driver's door slowly opened and a tall man with dark hair got out and looked up the track. Bella gasped as she saw his face, then her mouth dropped open in amazement as the passenger door opened and a glamorous young woman with long blonde hair got out and waved at their car.

"Oh my god! It's Emmett and Rosalie and they've seen us. What are we going to do?"

Edward recognised Rosalie instantly but he had never met Emmett before. Bella had talked about him often and obviously had great respect for him as a colleague, but he was an expert on bodies, admittedly dead ones, and Edward guessed he would be bound to pick up on their unusual eyes and skin tone quicker than most humans, so he knew they would have to be on their guard. As Bella was waving back, he was grateful that they had already discussed what they were going to say to Charlie when they met him, so that would be the tack they would take now.

"Try and act normal, Bella," he said "If they say anything about our appearance, we'll tell them the drug trial story."

Edward looked over his shoulder and saw that his mother was staring at Rosalie and Emmett wide-eyed,

"Dad, will you take mom straight upstairs and stay with her until she gets used to their smell."

Edward could tell his mother was upset, so added, "Mom, it's not that we don't trust you; you're eyes are still very red and there's no way we can explain that to two scientists. We'll tell them that you're not feeling well; is that okay?"

Esme nodded in agreement and Carlisle put his arms around her and hugged her reassuringly.

Edward drove the rest of the way at normal speed and once the car was in the shadiest part of the drive, he slowed down to allow Bella to leap out the car. She ran towards Rosalie, flailing her arms in excitement, and this distracted them while Edward parked the Volvo close to the steps so that Carlisle could get Esme inside quickly.

"Bella!" Rosalie cried as she ran towards her friend then hugged her tightly. "My God, you're freezing," she said.

"Sorry, brand new Volvo and the heater has already packed up. How are you?"

"I'm engaged!" Rosalie trilled and pulled her glove off to show a pretty solitaire diamond."

"Wow! Congratulations to you both," Bella replied enthusiastically. She went over to Emmett, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek then gently punched him in the ribs playfully. "Come on in and tell me all about it; I'll put the fire on to warm us all up."

Edward had already gone into the house on the pretext of helping his mother so he'd had the chance to warm his hands on a heater pack before shaking hands with Emmett. Fortunately the kitchen was still stocked with plenty of provisions from when Anthony lived there, plus fresh milk for Molly, so he went off and made coffee while Bella got the fire going.

"Is Edward's mother alright?" Rosalie whispered while Edward was in the kitchen.

"No, she's been quite unwell recently. We took her out to do some Christmas shopping but had to come back as she was very dizzy and tired. She'll probably stay in her room resting for a while. I'm sure Edward's father will come down and say hello though." Bella pointed at Rosalie's hand. "Anyway, I'm dying to know how all this happened."

Emmett took hold of Rosalie's hand and kissed it.

"I proposed to Rosalie on top of the Empire State Building yesterday as the sun was going down. I found out recently that she loves the movie, _Sleepless in Seattle_ , so I thought it would be the perfect place to get down on one knee."

Rosalie gave Bella a hard stare, basically saying 'don't give the game away'.

"Oh! That's just fabulous. Did you have any idea Emmett was going to propose, Rosalie?" Bella asked, innocently.

"No, I didn't have a clue. It was a wonderful surprise and _so_ romantic. I was so overwhelmed, I cried."

Rosalie was giving a stellar Oscar-winning performance here and Bella was happy to join in with the act. She loved Alice, but she really missed the girlie chats she used to have with Rosalie and was enjoying every minute of this banter.

"I'm sure you were weeping buckets, Rosalie; I would've cried too. That's such a wonderful story; I just know you'll be really happy together."

"We will," Rosalie gushed. "Anyway, Bella, I want you to be my bridesmaid. No excuses. I'll let you know where and when as soon as we've settled on a date, but it will be very soon. I can't wait to become Emmett's wife."

Bella's eyes widened as the implications of this were impossible to contemplate. She knew she had to say yes, but there was no way she would be able to stand next to Rosalie if the sun was shining on her wedding day, and the sun would be shining, as God wouldn't dare to disappoint Rosalie Hale on her big day.

"That would be fantastic," Bella blurted out. "Just give me plenty of warning. Edward keeps threatening to take me off to the Caribbean on his dad's boat."

"Absolutely. Anyway, what's your news? Has Edward proposed yet?"

Bella was about to say "No, not yet", but Edward had just come into the living room carrying a tray with four mugs of coffee and replied for her.

"Yes, I have, and I'm proud to say Bella accepted. I proposed to her just after she moved here but I haven't had a chance to speak to her father yet, so we haven't announced it officially, so please can you keep it quiet from everyone at CSI, just in case it gets back to Charlie. I'm hoping to see him soon to ask his permission. We've been so busy lately that we haven't even had a chance to look for a ring."

"Oh, Bella!" Rosalie cried, and shot over to give her a hug. "Jesus, Bella, you're still freezing cold. Are you ill or something?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks. It just takes me a while to warm up."

Emmett had been sitting quietly while the girls talked, but he had noticed immediately that Bella's eyes were not the color he remembered. He had always admired her beautiful green eyes that complimented the natural auburn highlights in her hair, so he couldn't understand why her eyes were now an unusual gold-ish brown; a colour he had never seen before on anyone else. Then he noticed that Edward eyes were almost the same colour and he was curious.

Edward was trying to tap into their thoughts and he soon picked up that Emmett had spotted Bella's change in eye colour and his eyes were scanning her body to see if he could spot any other differences, so Edward knew he had to be ready with answers. Luckily Rosalie had just asked Bella whether she was working at the moment so Edward dived in with a response.

"Bella and her friend Alice had a go at running a detective agency so she could carry on using her forensic skills, but they've run into difficulties with some local cops so they're taking a break for a while. I'm hoping she can come and help me in the lab soon with my dementia research, but she is already helping the lab in a big way."

"How's that?" Emmett asked.

"We're currently trialling a new drug that enhances the immune system. Bella and I are taking it at the moment to see whether there are any adverse side-effects. Some friends of mine are also taking it and so are my parents. At the moment the only unexpected side-effects are that our muscles feel very toned whether or not we're exercising regularly and if we get cold it takes a long time for our body to warm up. But the weirdest side-effect is that the drug has changed our eye colour."

"What are the positives?" Emmett asked sounding genuinely interested.

Bella answered him enthusiastically.

"We never feel ill, we've got loads of energy and if we hurt ourselves we heal very quickly."

"But you said your mother was unwell," Emmett queried. "Does the drug not work on everybody?"

"Yes it does," Edward replied. "My mother has been poorly for many years; the drug is aiding her recovery but it's a long process. The trip out this morning was a trial run to see whether she was up to doing a bit of shopping, but she's still quite weak from being bedridden for a number of years."

"When are you hoping to market it?" Rosalie asked.

"I haven't decided whether to market it at all," Edward replied. "If it does what we think it does, then it would have a serious impact on public health, doctors, hospitals, insurance, that sort of thing. I don't think the world is ready for it at the moment. It's still early days; I want to see what the long-term effects are before we take those sort of decisions."

"Very interesting," Emmett replied. "Is the eye-colour effect reversible if you stop taking the drug?"

"We don't know; we've only been taking it for a few months. Of course, this is all top secret. I hope you won't mention this to anyone."

Just then the phone in the study rang. Edward excused himself and picked up the call.

"Hello,"

"Is that Doctor Carlisle Masen?"

"No, it's his son, Edward. Can I help? Doctor Masen is unavailable at the moment."

"It's David Peterson calling from the marina."

"Hi David, is there a problem?"

"You could say so. I'm afraid your father's yacht has exploded. The police and fire services are here examining the wreckage but I'm calling to ask whether there was any likelihood of anybody being on board this morning."

"No, thank God. All my family are here at the moment. Have you any idea what happened?"

"The police haven't said anything to me yet, but I have overheard them saying that it looks like explosives were attached to the hull near to the fuel tank, so it wasn't an accident. Two other yachts have been severely damaged and there is minor damage to several others, so we're going to have insurance assessors swarming all over the place soon. Have you any idea who may have done this?"

"Yes, unfortunately I do. My family has recently been targeted by a local gang. We gave some information to the police about some drug-dealing that's been going on in the area. I'm presuming this is their way of warning us to back-off."

"Holy Cow!" David exclaimed. "I hope you've upped your own security."

"Of course we have. Fortunately my father knows the Attorney General and he's asked the FBI to get involved, so they may turn up at the marina to have a look as part of their investigations."

"Okay, thanks for the warning. Are you planning to come down and take a look as well, even though there isn't much to see?"

"I've got guests here at the moment and my mother is unwell, so unless the police ask to see me or dad I'd rather stay here at present. You can contact either my father or me on this number at any time."

"Okay, Edward. I'll tell the police what you've told me and I'll keep you informed."

"Thanks, David."

Edward put the phone down and thought quickly. He had to put on a show for Rosalie and Emmett just in case the police turned up. He wandered back into the living room where Bella was relating the story about Coco the cat and the famous fashion model.

"Is anything the matter?" she asked, even though she had heard every word of the conversation.

"Yes, there's been an incident at the marina and our yacht has been destroyed. I'll have to go up and tell dad. Will you excuse me for a moment."

Edward smiled at the guests and then went up the stairs to speak to Carlisle.

Bella took a sip of her coffee and felt it trickle down her throat. It tasted strange and she couldn't stop herself pulling a face.

"Are you okay?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes, fine. Edward forgot to put sugar in it. I'll get some in a second. So, are you here for long?"

"No, it's just a flying visit. We're going on to Boston to surprise a cousin of Emmett's and then we're going home from there tomorrow. We just decided to drive from New York to Boston instead of flying and come and see you. If you hadn't been at home we would have just kept on driving."

"Everyone at CSI sends their best wishes," Emmett added. "Victoria said I was to talk you into coming back as soon as possible and Leah says she hasn't had a bagel since you left as it wouldn't be the same eating it on her own."

Bella smiled when she thought of all the colleagues she had left behind and how much she missed being part of the team. It seemed like a million years since she was sitting at her work bench examining evidence, but seeing Rosalie and Emmett brought back how happy she was there, but it also reminded her that forensics was part of her past; there was no going back. She took a deep breath and said in the most cheerful voice she could muster...

"I'm very happy here at the moment, Emmett, but please tell everyone that I think of them a lot."

Edward came back in the room and sat next to Bella.

"Mom's feeling a lot better; she's going to have a sleep, but dad's now in shock about the yacht. He's calling the insurers and the Attorney General now."

"What the hell happened?" Emmett asked, surprised that the Attorney General had become involved.

"I'm guessing the yacht was destroyed deliberately by a local gang. Bella found out about some drug deals that were going down in the town and told the local police but some of them were corrupt. My dad knows the Attorney General and he asked for the FBI to become involved because the cops who were working for the drug dealers threatened us, so the FBI took the investigation out of the hands of the local precinct. Blowing the boat up was probably a warning for us to back off, which we had already done, but we're not sure whether all of the gang members and the corrupt cops have been arrested yet. When we saw your car outside the house we were worried who it was, which is why we hung back until you guys got out."

"God, that's awful," Rosalie commented sympathetically. "I hope the FBI are doing their best to catch these assholes before they do anything else."

"I hope so too, but until we know that they've been caught we've got to be on our guard until then. It's all been a bit crazy here lately."

"I was lusting over those Porsches in the drive while we were waiting for you to turn up," Emmett said enviously. "I've never been in a super-car like that; I bet they go like a rocket. I hope they don't wreck them next; that really would be criminal!"

"You like fast cars then, Emmett? How would you like to take one for a spin?" Edward offered.

"Hell, yeah. Could I drive one of them?"

"Sure. You can take Rosalie in the red Boxter, and Bella and I will follow in the yellow Carrera, then we'll swop on the way back."

Emmett jumped to his feet and grabbed his jacket.

"Come on then, Rosie. Let's burn some rubber."

Rosalie's eyebrows went skywards and as she stood up she muttered, "Boys and their toys!"

Edward called up to his father to say they were going out for a while then they all spilled out of the door. The sky was overcast and grey so there was no danger of being caught sparkling but Bella and Edward still covered up completely just in case the weather changed.

Edward threw the red Porsche's keys to Emmett who had a big grin on his face.

"When you get to the top of the track, turn right and go north. We can head towards the forest and you can really put your foot down up there. No cops or speed cameras watching."

"Great! Don't worry though, I won't push it too far or too fast."

Edward laughed. He was quite taken with Emmett who looked like he could be a lot of fun, which was probably because he was dealing with the dead all day so was determined to make the most of being alive. Apart from Jasper, Edward had never had any close male friends. He had acquaintances, but had never had a special friend while he was at school or University, but he felt he would have been able to get on with this man if he'd have met him when he was human.

Emmett folded himself into the car and fiddled about with the seat until he was comfortable. He was roughly the same height as Edward, but much broader. Rosalie slid in beside him and after Edward had shown him how to use the stick shift, he turned the key and the engine roared to life.

"This is awesome," Emmett proclaimed as he put his foot on the gas and listened to the engine's sounds. "Stuff having kids in the future, Rosie, I'd rather have one of these."

"Emmett!" Rosalie huffed.

"Only joking, darling," Emmett replied, trying and failing to sound convincing.

Edward shut the car door but spoke to Emmett again through the open window.

"Just take it easy up the track; try braking a couple of times before you go out on the open road. This baby can stop on a nickel, so just be careful if you slam the brakes on; you might end up with whiplash."

"Okay, noted. I'll take it easy to start with. Oh My God, this is a dream come true."

Emmett lurched away but within a few hundred yards he was driving smoothly, then he stopped suddenly to test the brakes, then started again. Edward climbed into the yellow Porsche next to Bella and followed him up the track, keeping his distance just in case he tested the brakes again unexpectedly.

Emmett was about half way up the track when Edward's cell phone rang. He passed it over to Bella to answer and as she flipped it open, Ace's name came up on the screen. Looking puzzled because he should still not have come round yet from the transformation, she pressed the green icon and was about to say 'Hi' but Alice was already screaming down the phone.

"Edward! Something awful's about to happen to whoever's with you. Stop them driving away, now!"

"It's Bella, Alice. What's going to happen? Rosalie and Emmett are with us. Are they going to crash the car?"

"No, there's a ..."

But Alice didn't have time to finish the sentence. In that moment the air was filled with the noise of gunfire and Bella and Edward watched in horror as the red Porsche was sprayed with bullets by a man with a semi-automatic weapon who had leapt out from behind the dunes. The car carried on travelling until it embedded itself in a sandbank and stopped but the engine was still running.

Edward screeched his car to a halt, jumped out and flew towards the assailant who had seen him coming and turned to face him.

"Edward Masen, it's your turn now," the man screamed as he turned the gun away from the car and aimed it directly at him. The deafening noise of another burst of gunfire filled the air, but Edward kept running and leaped on top of him, wrenching the gun away from his hands as his assailant collapsed to his knees under his weight.

"My turn for what, Brad Sansom? My turn to die? I don't think so; I actually think it's your turn."

Brad was staring wide-eyed at Edward's chest where burn marks from the hail of bullets had peppered his jacket. Edward Masen should be dead by now, like Jasper and Alice in the red Porsche. He should be lying on the ground with blood oozing from his mouth; his body twitching as he drew his last breath. But Brad realised in an instant that Edward Masen was no ordinary man; he had moved like lightning across the dunes and had leaped higher in the air than humanly possible before ripping his weapon from his hands.

"What are you?" Brad choked out.

Edward bent over him so their noses were almost touching.

"Vampire," Edward hissed, then he bared his teeth that were dripping with venom and snarled in the face of the man who had tried and failed to destroy his family.

* * *

 **Is Edward going to kill him? Boy, he's angry, but will he cross that line? Will Rosalie and Emmett survive the ambush? At least if they're dead, Bella won't have to be a bridesmaid. (Sorry, shouldn't have said that).** **I'm sure you've already guessed what's going to happen - you guys know me too well now.**

 **Joan xx**


	27. Chapter 27

**My God, you're a bloodthirsty lot! The majority of you want Brad to die horribly for what he did and have described plenty of ways to send him to eternity. Wonderful stuff! Thank you x**

 **Rosalie and Emmett have been shot because** **Brad mistakenly thought it was either Jasper or Edward in the red Porsche, but once again he's messed up. It doesn't look good for him because Edward, in his anger, has just told him he's a vampire! Will he act like one and suck the life out of him and dump him in Boston next to Tom, or will he do something else? Decisions, decisions.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN - Reflections

* * *

Brad was screaming in terror as he struggled to escape Edward's vice-like grip, desperate to get away from the man who had just proclaimed himself to be a vampire. But even though Edward's mouth was dripping with venom as he was murderously angry, plus the scent of a warm-blooded human who was in his power was tempting his instincts, he had no intention of biting or feeding from him. There was no way he wanted a single drop of this murdering low-life's blood inside his body. Instead he mimicked what Jasper had done to Anthony in the lab and with one quick movement he snapped Brad's neck. Moments later his enemy was a lifeless heap on the ground.

Edward looked down at the distorted face of Brad Sansom and for a fleeting moment a wave of exultation flowed through him as he relished the feeling of triumph over this ruthless and corrupt bastard who had tried but failed to kill him and had conspired to kill Jasper. Then, almost immediately, his still active human conscience took back control of his mind and he physically doubled over with remorse at what he had just done to a member of the human race, even to one who was the lowest of the low.

His guts were in knots as the realisation hit him that he'd just killed a man with his own hands and he'd done it without a moment's thought or hesitation. A vampire's instinct for self-preservation and survival had taken control of his mind and body, and the consequence was that he'd killed Brad Sansom without a second thought. He had taken on the role of judge, jury and executioner in a split second and now a human being was lying dead at his feet.

His anguished thoughts were only broken by a dreadful scream. He whipped round and saw the look of horror on Bella's face as she was staring at the bodies of Rosalie and Emmett slumped against one another in the Porsche. Both of them had bullets wounds in their upper chest, Emmett had another in his neck and Rosalie had lost part of an ear. Blood was seeping from their wounds and the smell of it hit his nose like a boxer's punch, but they were both still alive as their laboured breathing could just be heard over the sound of the car's engine.

"Edward, what are we going to do?" Bella shrieked from behind her hands as the blood was tempting her as well.

"Get my father here fast," Edward yelled frantically as he opened the driver's door, turned off the engine and crouched down beside Emmett. His medical training automatically kicked in and he felt for Emmett's pulse on his neck and wrist and he could tell that he was fading fast. He reached over and grabbed Rosalie's wrist; her pulse was slightly stronger but thankfully she was already unconscious and would not be aware of the pain from her wounds.

This was the second time since he was changed that Edward had been in the vicinity of exposed blood from a human that was still alive. The smell was excruciatingly tempting and Edward was fighting to control himself, but he managed with difficulty to stay focussed on the job in hand as he assessed their injuries.

Carlisle had heard the gunshots and was already on his way up the track as Bella set off to get him.

"Can you look after Esme, Bella?" Carlisle shouted as they passed. "I guess doctors are what's needed here."

Bella sped off towards the house even though she was reluctant to leave Rosalie. As she was running, she was screaming inside that life couldn't get much worse than what it was at the moment. She wanted to shout from the rooftops that she'd had enough of living like this and she couldn't have cared who heard. From the moment she had become a vampire, all she had done was bring pain and grief to those who were closest to her. Losing Rosalie was the last straw and was the final wound in her shattered heart.

Carlisle ran over to Rosalie's side of the car and got hold of her wrist.

"Her pulse is weak and I suspect her blood pressure is dropping fast; I guess she's got about five minutes left, Edward. There's no time for an ambulance; she'll be dead by the time it gets here."

"Emmett's nearly gone, dad. We've either got to let them go or change them."

"Are you serious? At least Ace knew what he was getting in to. We can't do that to them."

"I realise what you're saying, but there's been too much happening to us as a family not to. If we let them die, then the police will be all over this place as CSI Seattle knew they were coming here. I've had to kill Brad, dad; we've got to sort that problem out as well. There's been too many incidents connected to this family to brush this one under the carpet. We'll have to disappear forever, which means Bella will never see her family again, I'll have to abandon the lab and all of us will be on the run for years. We might have to kill Ace as well, as Jasper and Alice would have to escape too. They wouldn't be able to look after him while he's getting used to being a vampire."

"So we have no choice?"

"I don't think we do, unless we drain them of blood and dump them in Boston so they look like they're victims of the serial killer, but even then the Boston police would be suspicious because Tom, Emmett and Rosalie are all connected to us."

At that moment Emmett opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Edward. He had taken in everything that Edward had said as hearing is the last sense to fail before death. Speaking each word slowly and painfully, he whispered the words Edward needed to hear.

"What...ever...you...can...do...to...save...Rosie, ...do...it...now..., please."

Edward looked across at his father and an understanding passed between them.

"Bite into Rosalie's neck and let the venom flow for about a minute. Try not to drink any of her blood while you're doing it. Do you think you can manage that, dad?"

"I'll give it a go, son, but I'm not writing up a paper for The Lancet after this."

Edward smiled at the medical joke his father had made then prepared himself mentally to bite Emmett, but before he did he spoke to him, man to man, hoping that what he was about to say next he would remember, if he woke up.

"Emmett, I haven't known for you long, but I hope after I've done this to you we can be friends. I'm a vampire and I'm going to try and save your life by biting you. If you survive, I promise I'll support you on this journey. This is going to be very painful, but when you wake you will not be in pain anymore."

Emmett blinked his eyelids in affirmation that he had understood and then closed them for the last time as a human.

Edward sunk his teeth into the side of Emmett's neck that didn't have a bullet wound. He tried to avoid tasting Emmett's blood, but the instant a drop touched the inside of his mouth his brain was flooded by a rush of endorphins so powerful that all his other senses faded to nothing and the temptation to feed from Emmett was almost uncontrollable. He thought Bella's venom after sex was the ultimate high, but this was another level of ecstasy. His mind and body were craving for more blood and all he needed to do was inhale the magical fluid that was there for the taking.

He tried to distract himself by thinking of all the good times he'd had with Bella, like when they kissed for the first time after the Prom; when they had sex for the first time in the janitor's cupboard; when they made love for the first time in her bed in Seattle; when she had bitten him for the first time in the forest in Forks, but his distraction techniques weren't nearly strong enough and he knew he was losing the fight. For a brief moment he accepted that he wouldn't be able to detach himself from Emmett's neck without draining every drop of his blood first and he was distraught at his weakness.

At that exact moment he heard a gentle but firm voice in his ear.

"Edward, stop! Pull away right now. Focus on what you're doing. Relax your jaw, spit the blood out that's in your mouth and stand up slowly. I'm right behind you, Edward. Listen to me. You can do it. Slowly let go and give it up. He will be fine if you let go now. Edward, you can do it, let go."

Edward felt a pair of firm hands on his shoulders, but the hands weren't pulling him away, they were supporting him. If they'd have tried to detach him from Emmett he would have fought against them, but he knew without looking that Jasper was behind him, willing him not to feed from Emmett. He could pick up more thoughts in Jasper's head, as though he was speaking them out loud, and they were words of support and of confidence that he would be able to do this. The temptation to feed was still overwhelming, but he followed Jasper's instructions and relaxed his jaw and released Emmett's neck from his grip.

Once he was free, Jasper pulled him away from the car and flung his arms around him, holding him tightly to prevent him from launching himself on Emmett again. As Jasper held him in his strong arms, Edward screamed out loud, disgusted with himself that he'd needed Jasper's help to stop him feeding from a human. After about a minute, Jasper was able to let him go and he staggered away from the Porsche and dropped down onto his knees and curled up in a ball, shaking from the shock of what had happened and also from being denied what he was craving.

Carlisle had been more successful with Rosalie and had detached himself relatively easily, much to Jasper's amazement.

"I've been a doctor for years, Jasper," he explained philosophically later. "I just thought of Rosalie as a patient and I focused my mind on that. It's something I'm used to doing. You get to know your patients as people in the surgery, but when they are lying on an operating table their personalities are not important; they are just a body that needs treating. Believe me, I experienced the craving, but I was totally detached from what I was doing so stayed in control."

Carlisle carefully removed Rosalie from the car and held her limp body in his arms awaiting Jasper's instructions.

"We must get them both indoors and away from Edward," Jasper whispered. "He's not in a good place at the moment."

Carlisle ran in the opposite direction to where Edward was lying and then turned towards the house where he could see Bella and Esme standing on the deck, watching what was happening.

Jasper turned to check on Edward who was still on the ground, curled in a fetal position and trying to control himself. The smell of Emmett's blood was driving him insane and he was experiencing excruciating withdrawal symptoms, like an addict being denied a hit while sitting in front of a table covered with pure cocaine.

Jasper knew he had to snap him out of it.

"Edward, pull yourself together and get the cars down to the house. We've got to get rid of Brad's body and clear up this mess fast, just in case these gunshots have been overheard or the police turn up because of the explosion."

Jasper lifted Emmett's body from the car and ran with him down to the house leaving Edward on his own. He heard Bella shriek when Carlisle told her that Rosalie had been bitten, and that anguished cry jolted Edward back into the real world. He stood up slowly and took a deep breath of air that still held the smell of blood, but not as intense as before, but he still didn't trust himself to get any closer to the house where there were two humans in the first stages of their change.

"Get a grip of yourself, Edward Masen," he said aloud to himself then he walked over to where Brad's body was lying on the track, but even though he was craving for more human blood, he wasn't tempted to feed from Brad as he already smelled of death. Even in this short time his blood had already started to putrefy and the smell of his body was making Edward retch.

He didn't breathe as he went through his pockets, trying not to look at the face of the man he had just killed. He quickly found a bunch of keys in Brad's jacket pocket and one was a key with a Chevrolet badge, so he hid the body in the dunes and ran in the direction of the main road, presuming that Brad must have abandoned his car nearby. As he neared the junction, he spotted a car parked next to the remains of the general store, so when the road was clear he dashed across. Seeing it was a Chevy, he opened the car and got in.

Littered on the seats were photographs of every member of his family apart from Esme. They had been taken from a distance with a long-range lens, and among them were several pictures of the marina and the yacht. Edward had presumed it was the Mafia that had rigged the boat with explosives but now he wasn't so sure. He opened the trunk from the inside and got out to take a look what was in there and was greeted with the sight of a roll of thick electrical tape, a length of wire, some small boxes that had contained electronic equipment and a large, white polystyrene container. When he opened it, the markings inside made it obvious that it had contained explosives.

"You bastard," Edward exclaimed when he saw the irrefutable evidence that Brad had caused the explosion, but then he allowed himself to smile, because Brad's determination to kill him had unwittingly removed the stranglehold Aro and the Volturi had over the way he had to live his life. Thanks to Brad, from now on he would be able to exist free from Aro's restrictions, apart from the self-imposed ones that would protect his family from unwelcome curiosity.

As he stood there reflecting on what had just happened, it came to him that when Bella and Alice had started their detective agency, it had started the ball rolling that ended with the deaths of the Volturi hierarchy, plus the added bonus of wiping out some Mafia hoodlums as well. Brad had conspired to kill them in order to remove the evidence of his own corruption, but had inadvertently saved his parents from being murdered by Aro and had probably gone a long way towards keeping his family together for the foreseeable future. Edward thought about everything his family had been through over the past few weeks, but looking back and then looking forward, Edward knew that the stress and pain they had suffered had been worth it. Aro's death meant their lives would now be free from fear and he hoped that Bella would see it that way as he knew how much she was suffering.

He slid into the driver's seat and started the engine and when the main road was clear of traffic, he drove the short distance to where Brad's body was hidden in the dunes. He left the car there and walked down to where the yellow Porsche was half on/half off the track then he drove it down to the house and parked it next to the Volvo. He ran back up to where the red Porsche was embedded into the side of one of the dunes and as he climbed in he retched again, as Rosalie's and Emmett's congealed blood was on the seats and splattered over the dashboard. It didn't have the same sweet smell of fresh blood, but was still enough to resurrect the memory of the exquisite feeling of ecstasy that had flooded his brain when he tasted it for the first time. He opened the windows, pulled himself together again and hit the gas. As he was driving down the track he saw that Bella had come out onto the deck. He sped up and screeched to a halt by the steps and in a second he was in her arms.

As Edward clung to the love of his life he could smell blood on her clothing and guessed she had been helping to clean up Rosalie and Emmett. The temptation was still there but he felt as though he was in control now, although he would still leave it a bit longer before he went in the house.

"Are you okay, Edward," Bella asked, her voice muffled because Edward was hugging her so tightly.

"I am now, Bella. Just don't let go of me, please."

They stood on the deck in each other's arms for a while as the sky darkened, even though it was only late morning. It looked as though a storm was rolling down from the north and as the wind picked up, the first drops of rain bounced off the conservatory roof like pebbles. Edward relaxed his hold on Bella and held her at arms' length.

"I've got to get rid of Brad's body somehow. I'll be as quick as I can."

"Do you want me to come with you," Bella offered.

"No, stay here and help with Rosalie and Emmett and somehow cover up the red Porsche, just in case the police turn up. Those bullet holes in the windshield will be impossible to explain away to a nosey detective. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Edward ran up the track to where Brad's body was hidden. He picked him up with ease but tried not to look at his face as he carefully placed him onto the back seat of the Chevrolet. He took his own jacket off and turned it inside out, then laid it on the driver's seat so he wouldn't leave any blood traces from the Porsche anywhere in the car, then he slid in behind the wheel. As he started the engine the heavens opened and he thanked God for sending the storm as this would hopefully keep the roads clear for the next hour or two. He set off up the track, racking his brains trying to think of somewhere to dump the car and its grizzly contents.

The rain was coming down in torrents now and the Chevy's wipers weren't up to the job. The roads had become rivers and it was almost impossible to see any of the road markings or signs or where the sidewalk edges were. After a few miles of very dangerous driving, Edward turned off the main road and was travelling at speed through a forest, grateful that his vampire eyes were allowing him to see the edge of the road clearly despite the almost impenetrable curtain of rain he was driving through. Then he remembered that he was in no danger; if he drove off the road he would walk away from any accident, unless the car caught fire and he couldn't get out. As he sped inland through the tunnel of Maples, Acers and Evergreens, he realised he had the answer to his current problem. He could see a sharp bend in the road ahead and knew what he had to do. Without any hesitation he put his foot on the gas and kept driving straight towards the trees and as they filled his field of view he braced himself for the impact.

"Fuuuuuuuck!" he yelled as the car left the road and hit a huge maple. The hood wrapped itself around the tree trunk with an almighty crash and the back wheels left the ground, catapulting Brad's unrestrained body forward. It hit the roof of the car and ended up dangling head first over the front passenger seat. When Edward opened his eyes and looked sideways, Brad's lifeless face was staring wide-eyed straight at him which totally freaked him out. After seeing that horrific sight, he was glad he didn't need to sleep anymore as that vision would have given him nightmares for a very long time.

The air bags had been deployed but the steering wheel was crushed against Edward's chest so he was confident that a human would not have survived the accident. He worked out how to move the seat back as far as possible so he could get out of the car, but the driver's side door was buckled and Edward knew if he opened it, the crash would look suspicious. He pushed Brad's body to one side then taking his jacket with him, he climbed over onto the back seat and got out the car through the rear door then stood back to look at the mess.

He knew he had to make the accident look convincing so he climbed into the back of the car again and manhandled Brad's body until he was sitting behind the wheel with the seat belt on, then from the rear passenger seat he pushed the driver's seat forward so hard with his hands and feet that Brad's body was crushed against the steering wheel. He could hear some of Brad's ribs breaking and the crunching noise made him feel sick, but he focussed on what he was doing and moved Brad's arms up so it looked as though he had been instinctively trying to protect his face from the impact. Then he positioned his head in such a way that it looked as though his neck was broken due to whiplash.

Edward got out the car, leaving the engine running and the lights on, hoping and praying that when Brad was found the emergency services would presume that he'd lost control of the car on the bend and had broken his neck in the crash. If an autopsy was carried out, a pathologist would easily spot that bones had been broken after death, but he hoped that the police would put it down to reckless driving during a storm and would close the book without a thorough investigation.

Edward put his blood-splattered jacket back on and set off in the direction of home. He was tempted to run like the wind straight back to Bella, but this was the first time he had been completely on his own for weeks. So much had happened since he moved into the beach house that he needed time to think and reflect on what had happened and this was the ideal opportunity. He also needed time to get the smell and taste of human blood out of his system so that he wasn't tempted to attack any humans on the way home.

The air temperature had dropped considerably and the rain was turning to icy lumps of hail, so he wandered deeper into the wood to find some shelter. After about three quarters of a mile he found an area where an evergreen canopy had kept the ground relatively dry in places and he could smell that a herd of deer had been there recently, probably sheltering from the storm.

He sat on the ground with his back against a huge pine and thought about the events of the last few days, starting with his mother killing Tom followed by Jasper and him having to dispose of the body. At the time he thought that would be the lowest point of his life, but now he had killed as well and he couldn't even say it was in self-defence as nothing that Brad could have done to him could have ended or endangered his life. He had acted instinctively, primarily for revenge, but also to preserve his and his family's anonymity. It didn't matter that Brad had sprayed him with bullets, if his life wasn't at risk it was murder.

He shook his head from side to side trying to dismiss that thought and then he thought about Bella and Alice's sleuthing work, where they rightly tried to put a stop to drug-dealers targeting school children. Because of this Brad was dead, about twenty Mafia were dead, Aro and the Volturi were dead and Ace, Rosalie and Emmett were experiencing the excruciating pain of transformation.

But one of the worst jobs was still to come, which would be when Rosalie woke up and he would have to explain to her why he took the arbitary decision to turn her into a vampire. He was hoping that Emmett would wake first and that he would remember the 'death-bed' request he had made on Rosalie's behalf, but it was still going to be a tough conversation and a huge shock for both of them.

As the storm continued to rage above him, all the coincidences of the last few months were making his head spin as he realised that practically everything that had happened to them since becoming vampires had led to Aro being on the boat that exploded.

If Alec hadn't have been travelling through Connecticut and smelled Alice's scent, he wouldn't have kidnapped his mother, the showdown on the beach would never have happened, Monique wouldn't have run back to Italy to tell tales, and Aro wouldn't have come to the house to wreak havoc, which led to 'Goodbye Aro'.

If Tom hadn't been jealous of him, he wouldn't have been spying on the labs and broken into the house. His mother would never have tasted human blood which accelerated her recovery, thereby removing Aro's excuse to murder her on the spot but pretend to take her to Volterra on the boat, which led to 'Goodbye Aro'.

If the girls hadn't opened the agency, they wouldn't have annoyed the Mafia, Brad's corruption wouldn't have been exposed and therefore he wouldn't have rigged the boat, which led to 'Goodbye Aro'.

If his father hadn't recently bought an ocean-going yacht and had already decided to sail away with his mother, which Aro picked up on when he touched his hand, Aro probably wouldn't have agreed so readily to go by sea, which led to 'Goodbye Aro'.

Also, but not connected to the boat, if Aro hadn't turned up at the same time as the Mafia, it would have been down to the family to somehow dispose of twenty witnesses to their otherworldliness, which was something Edward didn't want to contemplate. He knew Jasper was no stranger to war and wiping out covens of vampires, but he wasn't ready yet to be responsible for that level of loss of life, even though he had in effect encouraged Aro and the Guard to feast on the Mafia.

The whole saga of the last few months was incomprehensible and Edward couldn't make sense of everything that had happened. As he was thinking about how lucky his family had been, in that they had escaped relatively unscathed from all the trauma, he remembered the innocent victims, like the two ladies in the shop who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, maybe, a few of the Mafia men in the cars, some of whom looked very young and were probably only there out of family duty. They could also be classed as innocent victims. Their families would be worrying where they were now and no doubt suffering because of it, and there was nothing he could do to ease their pain. These people were the real casualties and Edward covered his face with his hands as he thought of the grief to come that was unavoidable.

"What the hell is going to happen next?" he asked himself out loud. Boston police hadn't discovered Tom's body yet, so Ben wasn't aware that his brother was dead and that would be traumatic for him and his family. How he was going to face Ben and not look guilty he didn't know, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

The local police or the FBI would no doubt want to speak to him or his father about the explosion at the marina this morning, but hopefully they would find the evidence in Brad's car first, then they would put two and two together and blame it on Brad's involvement with the Mafia. As far as he knew, the twenty Mafia men hadn't been reported missing yet and that would definitely cause another storm, but hopefully one that he would not be involved in. Garrett's coven had apparently dumped the cars near to Atlantic City, hoping that their disappearance would be linked to gambling and not to anything that happened in this part of the world. But that all depended on who knew that a mob was going to kidnap Ace and descend on the beach house.

Then there was the Guard. They were the only real danger. Would they come back and seek revenge for the demise of their master or would the celebration party in Volterra go on until the next century? He had no idea. He just hoped that any vampires still loyal to Aro wouldn't tie in his disappearance with the Masen Coven in Connecticut or more trouble might be on the horizon.

Finally there was his family, and, most importantly, Bella. She was desperately unhappy at the moment and could see no end to the mayhem. He needed to get her away from the house for a while, but with Ace, Rosalie and Emmett needing constant supervision for the next few weeks, he couldn't see a way they could disappear and be a regular young couple just for a few days. He wanted to take her to choose a ring and find somewhere romantic to place it on her finger, without psychotic vampires like Aro, revenge-seeking thieving maniacs like Tom, homicidal corrupt cops like Brad, murderous Mafia gangs or the Volturi Guard, interrupting his declaration of love.

As he sat under the sweet-smelling pine, listening to the thunderstorm above and occasionally feeling a drop of freezing rain that had worked its way through the dense canopy bounce off his head, he started to laugh so hard that he fell over sideways on the ground and the sharp needles from the pine cones made indentations on his face. But he couldn't stop; he was laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. It was now late December, a few days before Christmas, and only in June he had slipped a ring onto Annabel's finger and thought he could see where his life was heading. Now, six months later, everyone he cared about was a vampire, his mother was technically a murderer, he was technically a murderer, and he'd lost count of the number of people who had been trying to destroy them in one way or another who were now dead, and it had all started when a couple of hikers that he would never ever meet discovered a strange arm in the forest near Forks.

If they'd have chosen another meadow to have their lunch that day, or the arm hadn't moved and been spotted, he would still be engaged to Annabel, Bella would still be in Seattle looking for a vampire serial killer and his father would probably be dead. If Alice had come to him six months ago and told him what was going to happen in the months before Christmas, he would have sent her back to the lunatic asylum where she came from.

The thought that his father would be dead by now and he might not have found Bella again sent shivers down his spine, and his laughter, which was probably more hysteria than mirth, subsided. He got to his feet, brushed his clothes down then rubbed his face to get rid of any needles that had remained embedded in his skin. The storm was easing off and the light was getting brighter so he started jogging through the soaking forest until he was alongside the road he had driven down. Keeping out of sight, even though no cars passed him, he followed the road until it reached the busier highway that led to the track and he knew he wasn't far from home.

As he ran across country, the storm rolled off south towards New York and the afternoon sun broke through the clouds. He could see the beach house in the distance so he upped his pace. What he wanted most of all was a long, hot shower, preferably with Bella and preferably not within the earshot of anyone else in the house, but that wasn't going to happen.

As he ran onto his father's land and was crossing the terrain as fast as any vampire could run, Bella came out onto the deck. She had been watching out for him and was relieved when she saw a flash on the horizon and she knew it was Edward running towards her. As he made the final leap onto the deck he fell into her arms and they kissed passionately until Edward drew away from her and looked her straight in the eye.

"Bella, I love you more than you'll ever know and I know that you love me and nothing is going to stop us living our lives the way we want to from now on. No more lies and no more hiding from the people we love," he said, and this time he really meant it.

* * *

 **Edward needed time to reflect and put everything in perspective. Does 'no more lies' mean that he's going to go along with Bella's wish to tell her father she's a vampire. It sounds like it.**

 **Ace is going to wake up soon - that should be interesting. I wonder what Madonna is going to think of her new improved master.**

 **Two more chapters to go - can our family now put their feet up and enjoy their first vampire-Christmas? At least there won't be any washing-up to do!**

 **Joan xx**


	28. Chapter 28

**Brad is out of the picture now and it seems as though the family can relax, as long as the police investigating the explosion at the marina pin the blame on Brad and his Mafia contacts.**

 **Ace will be waking up soon which should be interesting, but Bella's number one priority will be to find poor Molly. Also, Edward has something he has to tell Bella.**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT - Reunions

* * *

Jasper was in the hallway when Edward and Bella walked into the house. He had stationed himself there waiting for Edward's return and was ready to restrain his friend if the craving for human blood took control again. Edward stood on the threshold and took a gulp of the warm air in the house and instantly felt the endorphins slowly creeping into the dark recesses of his psyche, but he was in control and the tension in his shoulders dissipated as he exhaled.

"I'm okay, Jasper. I'm not going to attack Emmett or Rosalie or any other human in the future. Anyway, they're our friends, and you don't feed off your friends. I feed off animals but I've never had the desire to snack on Molly as she's our pet, so you can stand down now. The craving has gone and they don't even smell human anymore so you can relax."

Jasper grinned then gave Edward a manly hug.

"You look like shit, Edward. Where the hell have you been?"

"Don't ask, but the Brad problem is sorted. Can we leave it at that?"

"Sure thing, and well done; it must've been difficult for you."

"How are Emmett and Rosalie?"

"Okay at the moment. Carlisle's with Emmett and Esme's with Rosalie. Your mother is great by the way. She's totally in control of her instincts now and didn't feel an overwhelming temptation to feed when Emmett and Rosalie came in the house. Alice is still with Ace at his place and she'll call us when he looks as though he's coming round. I've asked Garrett and a couple of his coven to come over and help us with the three of them for a while."

"Why have you done that? Bella and I can help out now."

"No, Edward. You and Bella are getting the next flight out to Seattle. You can spend Christmas with Bella's dad in Forks."

Bella's eyes widened in delight, but then she frowned and shook her head.

"No, Jasper. I need to be here when Rosalie wakes up. Much as I want to see my dad, I can't leave Rosalie to face this on her own. She's going to have a terrible shock when she wakes, but if I'm there with her I'll help her get through it for the first few days. I had Alice to help me, so I'm going to be Rosalie's Alice until she's okay."

"Bella's right, Jasper. I want to be here when Ace wakes up, and Emmett and Rosalie as well. If they're okay, Bella and I can go to Forks for New Year."

"Alright, have it your way, but we all thought the two of you needed a break from all the shit that's been going on. You've had it much worse than me and Alice."

"A few more days aren't going to hurt," Edward replied. "Thanks for the offer though; I'm very grateful that you thought of us. Anyway, I'm going to have an exceedingly long shower now, and then Bella and I are going out on the dunes to look for Molly while it's still light, so if you'll excuse us?"

Jasper smiled as he watched them going up the stairs and then he called after them.

"Emmett's in Carlisle's room and Rosalie's in my room. Be careful!"

"Don't worry, Jasper, I'm sure Bella has a plan to distract me!"

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed, but before she had time to punch him in the ribs for embarrassing her in front of Jasper, Edward picked her up in his arms and ran the rest of the way three steps at a time.

* * *

Edward pulled off his damp and filthy clothes and flung them in the corner of the room. Bella presumed Edward wanted her to join him so started removing her clothing but she wasn't quick enough. Edward had already turned the shower on in their bathroom and like lightning he grabbed her and carried her into the cubicle still with her underwear and jeans on. He shredded them in seconds then wrapped her legs around him and thrust into her as water cascaded over them.

His tongue was in her mouth and his hands were either side of her head, holding her still as he pounded in to her. As he frantically built up to his climax, he could sense by reading her thoughts that her love for him was tinged with concern for his state of mind. He wanted to tell her that he was alright, but carnal desire took over and he exploded inside her. He tried not to cry out, knowing that they probably had an audience, but he couldn't help it. The release was exquisite and the come down even more so, as he could sense Bella's delight that she had helped him ease the tension that had been building up inside him.

He leaned back against the shower wall and with Bella still intimately joined to him he sunk onto the floor so that Bella was kneeling astride him. He pulled her into his chest and drew his knees up so they were cuddling together in a tight ball, then he buried his face in her soaking hair and breathed in the scent of her. He compared the craving he felt for Emmett's blood to the need to be near to his mate and there was no comparison. He could survive without human blood; he couldn't survive without Bella.

After a few minutes of lying together under the shower, Edward kissed Bella on top of her head and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, Bella. That was a bit fast and I know you didn't come. I'll try again in a moment."

"That's not important, Edward. I just need to know that you're going to be okay. I've never tasted human blood so I don't know what you're going through. Do you still have the craving?"

"No, the craving has gone and I know I never want to touch the stuff again. You are the only thing I crave and as long as I have you, I'll be content."

Bella raised her head and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Are we safe now, Edward? I mean, is anyone else trying to kill us?"

"I don't think so, but Bella, our lives were only really in danger when Alec and his coven and Aro and the Guard were here, and they've all gone. Our only other danger is that someone will suspect that we're supernatural, or vampires, or we're different in some other way and we'll have to leave Connecticut. I'm not ready to leave yet, but one day we'll have to."

"I know that, Edward, and I accept that we'll have to keep moving every twenty years or so, but all I want now is for us to be happy and for Rosalie and Emmett to be happy. I want to find Molly and I want to see my dad."

"I can't promise you much, my love, but we will see your dad before this year is out, I promise you that."

Bella snuggled into Edward's chest again but a few minutes later the blissfully warm water turned into freezing cold icicles as they'd completely drained the hot tank.

"Jesus!" Edward cried and sprang to his feet, carrying Bella with him.

They grabbed handfuls of towels and ran naked into the bedroom, then, as they were drying each other off and laughing at the same time, they heard a scratching noise on the bedroom door.

Bella dropped her towel and ran across the room. Not caring that she didn't have a stich on, she flung the door open and a bedraggled Molly stalked in and howled angrily.

Bella swept her up in her arms and buried her face in her fur as Edward closed the door.

"Happy now?" he asked, as he put his arms around them both.

Bella nodded her head as she was unable to talk.

As Edward draped a towel around Bella's shoulders, he said to himself, "Can't wait to see what happens when Molly meets Madonna for the first time!"

* * *

Jasper and Edward were sitting in the conservatory reflecting on the previous day's events. It was the middle of the night; Esme and Bella were sitting with Rosalie, and Carlisle was keeping an eye on Emmett. They had both passed the most violent stage of their transformation and were now in limbo, half vampire, half human, but the vampire side would ultimately be the victor.

Something had been bothering Edward about the previous afternoon and he asked Jasper straight out.

"How come you got to the house so fast after Rosalie and Emmett were attacked? Ace lives over twenty miles away; even you can't run that fast."

"I was already on my way," Jasper replied. "Neither of us thought to take a cell phone charger with us when we took Ace home. We presumed he'd have every type imaginable in his house as he's your IT guy, but when our phones died we couldn't find one. When Alice had her vision, I ran out the door while she looked for Ace's cell which we guessed had your number on. Eventually she found it in the Ferrari, along with his iPad and cables and she called you. I was already more than half way here by then."

"Okay, so did you naturally presume that I wouldn't have the strength of character to detach myself from Emmett?" Edward sounded slightly offended when he said that.

"It wasn't like that, Edward. I guessed you would have great difficulty controlling your instincts. But before you start feeling inadequate, I still can't get my head around the fact that you or Carlisle didn't drain either of them immediately. I fully expected to find that whoever your guests were, they would either be dead from bullet wounds or extreme blood-loss. I'm still amazed at your self-control, especially your father's, which is incomprehensible."

Edward felt slightly better after their talk. He was still mortified because of his lack of self-control, but that was behind him now and thankfully Jasper had got to him in time. He got up from his chair and started walking towards the stairs to go and see Bella when his cell rang. It was Ace's number, so it was obviously Alice calling.

"Hi Alice," he said.

"Edward, you'd better come now. Ace opened his eyes for a second. He isn't fully conscious yet, but he will be very soon."

"Okay, Alice, I'm on my way."

Edward flew up the stairs and told Bella where he was going then rushed down again where Jasper was waiting for him in the yellow Porsche.

"It would be quicker if we ran, but we might as well take Alice's car back to her; we can bring Ace back with us in the Cherokee."

"It's like dashing to the hospital to see a baby being born, isn't it?" Edward commented with a grin.

Jasper laughed as the Porsche pulled away. "You're right, but I suppose Ace _is_ being re-born when you think about it."

Jasper drove as quickly as he legally could back to Ace's and Alice was waiting by the door for them.

"Hurry up," she said, beckoning them in. "Only a few more minutes I would guess, then at least Madonna should shut the fuck up."

Edward could hear Madonna upstairs, barking then whimpering, then barking again and Alice looked as though she was at the end of her tether.

They all trooped up the stairs to Ace's bedroom where Ace was lying on the bed with Madonna next to him. As they walked in the room Madonna growled and bared her teeth, daring anyone to come nearer to her master. Considering she was only a fluffy white poodle that stood less than fifteen inches at the shoulder, she still looked pretty scary.

Edward looked around Ace's bedroom and couldn't help but laugh out loud. It was more like a teenager's room than a grown man's. Posters of soccer stars hung on the walls, along with pennants and souvenirs from his favourite teams. The faded bed cover Ace was lying on was also soccer-themed and had obviously been bought by him after Italy won the World Cup in 2006. The only face on the wall Edward recognised was David Beckham's, and he was British, but as David was only wearing a pair of _Calvin Klein_ underpants, he wondered whether the poster was actually soccer-related or was appealing to Ace's bi-sexual fantasies.

Alice walked towards the bed and attempted to calm Madonna who was still bristling over Jasper and Edward's presence in the room. At that moment Ace's arm moved from the bed onto his chest then his hand immediately went down to his crotch and scratched his balls.

Alice's eyes went up to the ceiling as if to say, "Typical male reaction, check balls first then open eyes!" Jasper and Edward grinned as they guessed what she was thinking.

Madonna stopped growling and trotted over and put her front paws on Ace's chest and licked his face.

Ace slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Madonna staring down at him.

"Hello, baby, he said and then went to stroke her, but his sudden arm movement sent her flying off the bed. Luckily Alice caught her in mid-air or she would have been flung hard against the wall and probably killed outright.

"Jesus!" Ace exclaimed and went to get up to comfort her, but Edward and Jasper rushed over and held him down.

"Take it easy, Ace," Edward said in a gentle voice. "You don't know your own strength yet. Lie still for a while and get used to moving your arms and legs and then you can get up."

Jasper and Edward pulled him up so he was resting against his pillows then Alice placed a whimpering Madonna back on his lap.

"Gently does it," she said. "Just move your hand really slowly then touch her carefully. You'll get used to it."

Ace's face was a picture of concentration as he guided his hand towards Madonna. He tickled her under the chin then ran his hand over her back. Madonna's bobbly tail started to wag again and Ace was completely forgiven. She started bouncing up and down on his chest again then licking him all over his face.

Edward sat down on the edge of the bed and took hold of Ace's other hand in a gesture of solidarity.

"How do you feel, my friend? I'm sorry that the last two days have been painful but it's over now."

"Two days! Is that all? It felt like two weeks at least. What have I missed? What happened to the Mafia jerks, and those weirdo's who were standing next to you, especially the one in the long cloak? Who the fuck was he?"

"It's a long story, Ace, and we'll tell you the whole tale soon, but before you get up I'm desperate to know how you worked out what we are?"

Ace relaxed back on the pillows and looked around him. He had never met Alice before; he had only seen her on the CCTV footage that was taken the night that Anthony died and she was more beautiful in real life than on his computer screen. But then he thought back to the vampires he'd come across when he was growing up in Italy, and they all had an etherial beauty about them, which probably helped them entice their victims into their lairs, and now he was one of them. He was quite looking forward to seeing himself in the mirror to find out what the transformation had done to his face and body. He wasn't vain, but he was Italian, so his appearance was very important to him.

Edward and the others were staring at him expectantly, so he launched into his story.

"When my mother and I left Sicily, we moved to the region of Italy where Volterra is situated. We lived with my mother's cousin's family on a farm just outside Volterra and they told us about the vampires and warned us not to go anywhere near them. Everyone who lives within a ten-mile radius of that particular village knows about the monsters that live on top of the hill. They'd waft about at night under the ridiculous illusion that the locals didn't know what they were, and the locals let them think that or the vampires would wipe them out, which apparently did happen a few hundred years ago. The blood-suckers are an unwritten secret in that part of the world; their story goes back centuries and are part of the folklore of that region. The villagers never say anything to anyone about them because they're the safest people in Italy. The vampires never shit on their own doorstep; in other words they never choose their victims from the local population because that might attract unwelcome attention."

"But was it that obvious to you that we were vampires?" Jasper asked.

"Not straight away, but because I already knew vampires existed in the real world, I had already accepted that the world is a strange place; in other words 'I'm good with weird'. When I first saw your eyes when you came back from leave, Edward, I guessed something had happened to you, but they were gold, not red. As you got up to leave, you moved too quickly for a human being and I was even more suspicious; but not that you were a vampire. But my mind was already open to any explanation, including a supernatural one.

"I initially guessed you were on some sort of performance-enhancing drug though, so out of curiosity I ran the security tapes in my office and watched you moving quickly again and realized straight away there was no way anybody that wasn't superhuman could've moved like that, but I didn't know what you were. I'd never seen a vampire outside of Italy before and all the ones I had seen in the village, which wasn't many admittedly, had red eyes, so I wasn't absolutely sure that's what you were until the day you sat in my room looking at Tom on the security tapes and the sunlight caught one side of your face. You didn't realise it, Edward, but your skin was sparkling and then I knew for certain. My relatives told me that the easiest way to spot a vampire in the daylight is because their skin sparkles, which is why they hardly ever come out from the castle when the sun is shining because they would be so easily spotted."

"But weren't you frightened of us?" Edward asked.

"Not really. You obviously had your instincts under control and you didn't look as though you were going to start tucking in to your employees. Like the vampires in Volterra, I presumed you weren't going to shit on your own doorstep. What or who do you eat, just out of interest?"

"Animal blood, we've got some here for you. We don't feed off humans, ever."

"That's a relief; I don't particularly want to go down that route but wasn't expecting there to be an alternative."

"How do you feel now?" Alice asked.

"Okay. Everything looks a bit weird and I feel weird, but I think I could get up. What happens now?"

"We're going to take you back to the beach house. You'll be safe there and we have lots of blood supplies to keep you going. Madonna can come too but there's a cat there."

"That's okay, my neighbour has a cat and Madonna goes there when I'm at work. As long as your cat is cool with the idea, then it shouldn't be a problem."

Edward helped Ace stand and guided him around the room as he took his first steps.

"This is so strange," Ace said, grinning. "I feel amazing, but there's no way I'm getting behind the wheel of a car for a few days. I can't wait to run the Boston Marathon though."

Edward's eyes went up to the ceiling imagining Ace finishing it in about five minutes flat. He realized he would have to have a serious talk with him about discretion and self-preservation but that could happen at a later date.

Madonna was bouncing around Ace's feet as he walked down the stairs which made the descent even more difficult. Alice made Ace sit down at the kitchen table and drink some animal blood while Jasper unloaded the Ferrari of Ace's luggage and transferred it to the Cherokee. When Ace felt okay, Edward went out onto the drive to make sure there were no humans around just in case Ace was tempted, then Alice helped him into the passenger seat of the Cherokee and put Madonna on his lap.

Jasper set the alarms and closed the door, then dropped a note into Sue's from Ace, asking her to look after the house for the next few weeks. After lusting over the Ferrari for a few more seconds, he closed the garage, jumped into the Porsche with Alice and they roared off.

Before following them, Edward turned to Ace and looked him in the eye.

"Tell me honestly, Ace. Are you pissed at me for doing this to you?"

Ace laughed out loud before putting Edward's mind at rest.

"No, Edward. You saved my life, for which I'll be eternally grateful, and as long as you give me time off work to attend every Soccer World Cup for the next thousand years, I'm totally cool with it!"

* * *

Edward called Bella from the car warning her he was on the way back with Madonna, who was now fast asleep on Ace's lap, exhausted no doubt after barking for every waking minute of the last forty-eight hours. Ace was slowly getting used to his HD senses and was amazed at what he could see and hear, even though it was still the early hours of the morning and pitch dark. Every now and then he would jump when he saw something unexpected, like a deer at the side of the road, or a fox running out in front of them, but by the end of the short journey he was more relaxed.

Bella was there to greet them when they pulled up next to the Porsches. Jasper helped Ace get out while Alice carried a still comatose Madonna into the house. Ace had just put his foot on the first step when he spotted the bullet holes in the red Porsche. The tarpaulin that Carlisle had used to cover it had blown off in the wind and was now half-way down the beach caught on a rock.

"What the fuck happened there?"

"Another long story, Ace. Also, can you mind your language indoors? My parents don't approve."

"Your parents? I thought your mother had dementia and was in a nursing home?"

"She was. She's a vampire too now. The change has almost cured her dementia."

"Fuck, really! Ooops, sorry."

Edward laughed and helped him up the steps.

Carlisle was in the hall to greet him and gave Ace a manly hug.

"Welcome to the family," he said. "We're going to need a bigger house," he muttered as an aside to Edward.

"How are Emmett and Rosalie?" Edward asked.

"They've still got a way to go, but they'll be fine. They're a good-looking couple and Rosalie's going to be a knock-out when it's all over."

Ace raised his eyebrows. "More vampires?"

Edward nodded. "Two of Bella's friends got caught in the crossfire. Do you remember that asshole detective, Brad Sansom, who interviewed me at the lab?"

"Yes, what about him? I thought the cops had arrested him."

"No, he managed to evade capture. While you were undergoing the transformation he blew dad's boat out of the water along with the five vampires you saw on the deck with us. Because that didn't kill us, he came to the house with all guns blazing. Emmett and Rosalie were in the red Porsche and got shot. To save their lives we had to bite them."

"What happened to Brad then?"

"Let's just say he's been in a fatal road traffic accident and leave it at that."

"Ah! Okay." Ace realised what Edward was inferring, but then started counting on his fingers.

"So that means there's nine vampires here?"

"Yes, and there'll be a few more soon. Our friend Garrett and some of his coven are coming down from New York to help you guys get used to your new way of life."

"A coven? I thought only witches had 'covens'."

"Vampires have covens too; you've got a lot to learn Alfonso Caspari."

* * *

Edward went upstairs and looked in on Emmett and Rosalie. They both looked as though they were fast asleep, but Edward knew what they were experiencing at this point in their transformation. The painful process of bodily change had taken place; now their brains were putting up a terrific fight against the vampire invader.

Jasper had taken over from Carlisle, who was now talking to Ace in the conservatory. Bella had given Esme a break so she was having a bath and Edward could hear his mother singing Carol King's 'You've got a Friend' at the top of her voice.

After taking a look at Rosalie's now perfectly healed ear, he sat next to Bella and put his arm around her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine, thanks. Rosalie is so beautiful, isn't she? I hope she isn't too shocked at what's happened."

"It will help that Emmett's a vampire too, so we shouldn't feel too guilty. Emmett gave me permission to do it and we only had seconds to decide."

"I still feel awful though."

Edward drew her to him and kissed her on top of her head. He needed to tell her something and this was as good a time as any.

"Bella, I've got a confession to make; I hope you won't be too mad at me. In the last week or so it's become clear to me that I can read minds. It was an enormous shock and I've been trying to get around to telling you."

"I know you can read minds, Edward. I heard Alice say that to you when Aro turned up. I've been waiting for you to tell me yourself and I'm a bit sad that you took this long. Can you read what I'm thinking at the moment?"

"Not in words. I can just tell what you're feeling inside. It's difficult to describe exactly. I know that you love me and I know that you're concerned that I might attack humans again, and that you're cross with me for not telling you this before, but whereas I know what my dad is going to say to me before he says it and I can hear what he's thinking in language, with you it's more abstract - it's difficult to explain."

"Why didn't you tell me straight away? I didn't like that you were keeping something so important from me."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I was worried that it would alter our relationship. What we have is so perfect that I don't want to risk changing it in any way. Do you understand that?"

"I suppose so; I'm still a bit hurt you didn't tell me until now."

"I understand and I'm sorry. I'm still in shock myself. I'd rather not have this skill to be honest as I feel as though I'm intruding on everyone's privacy. Everyone is entitled to keep their thoughts to themselves and its as though I'm stealing something from them that's so personal."

"Am I the last in the family to know?"

"Apart from mom, yes. Jasper guessed first; he saw that I was picking up what people were thinking before I even realised what was going on. Then I gave myself away in front of dad as I responded in words to what he was thinking, and of course Alice picked up that I had seen what she was seeing when Aro arrived. No-one else knows apart from them."

"Oh! Okay."

"Don't hate me for it, please, Bella. I've been dreading telling you because I love you so much and I don't want to do anything to spoil what we've got."

"I don't hate you, Edward. I love you; but don't ever keep anything like that from me again. Trust is the one thing that keeps relationships strong and if we're going to be together for a thousand years, then we must completely trust one another."

"A thousand years, eh? Do you think you'll still love me a thousand years from now?"

"Yes, and a thousand years after that."

"Am I forgiven then?"

"Hmmm. I'll let you know in ... a hundred years."

Edward's eyes rolled and he grabbed hold of her and kissed her and then they both laughed at the thought of having so much time in front of them.

"I'm going to Skype dad tomorrow, Edward. I'll tell him we're coming for New Year. Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay. Do you want to go to Seattle as well and have a look at some rings?"

"Yes, that would be lovely. I'll just look though as I don't know what I want yet. It will be nice to wander around the shops like normal people, as long as it's not sunny."

"It's December in Seattle; what are the chances of it being sunny, Bella?"

* * *

The Connecticut sun had just poked itself above the horizon and the morning light was slowly filtering in to the conservatory. The house was at rest. Madonna was still out for the count in the living room in front of a now-dead fire. Molly was snoring on the conservatory sofa with her feet in the air after eating her way through three pouches of her favorite food plus biscuits and milk. Carlisle and Ace were playing a game of chess in the study and Carlisle was losing for a change. After Ace had mastered being able to move the pieces without knocking all the others over, he found that his new-improved brain was working out the strategies as easily as if he was playing checkers, much to Carlisle's annoyance. Esme was relaxing in her bedroom after her bath and was listening to music on her new favorite toy, an I-pod that Alice had stocked with music from Broadway shows which were Esme's favorite. Edward and Jasper were with Emmett who was showing the first signs that he was coming round, and Alice and Bella were with Rosalie; Alice reading magazines and Bella in the middle of a book.

Then several things happened at once.

Downstairs, three heavy bangs rattled the front door. The sound echoed throughout the silent house, making everyone jump, apart from Esme who was still plugged in to her I-pod.

Alice dropped her magazine on the floor and sat bolt upright in her chair. Her face went paler than it normally was and she shrieked, "Oh My God!"

Emmett opened his eyes and then closed them again, but he muttered the word 'Rosalie' and his hands gripped the bedclothes he was lying on.

Carlisle stood up from his chair, trying to decide whether or not to open the door. He looked through the windows of the study onto the beach, now fully illuminated by the morning sun and saw that the house was surrounded by vampires.

Alice came running out of the bedroom straight into the arms of Jasper.

"It's the Guard," she shrieked. "Somehow they've found out that Aro's dead and they've turned back and come for us!"

Jasper looked at Edward, who had just emerged from the bedroom.

"If they've come for a fight, we're not going to win this time," Jasper said.

Edward nodded his head and cradled Bella in his arms.

"This is it, my love, the last battle. Don't leave my side, Bella. If we're going to die, then we'll go together. You know I love you so much."

"I love you more," she said.

With that the front door burst open and an icy blast came in, along with five huge vampires all wearing the uniform of the Guard.

Jasper walked to the top of the stairs and looked down at the group who were filling the hallway. The one standing in front turned his face upwards to look who was there and when Jasper saw who's face it was, any hope he had left disappeared.

"Demetri! he said wearily, and sighed.

* * *

 **Oh Lord!**

 **So the Guard have come back to Connecticut - what for? According to Alice they've found out that Aro is dead, so they'll want to know what's happened to him. She didn't see this coming though, which is strange.**

 **Remember, Aro suspected there was discontent in the ranks so it might not be all bad, but of course the family don't know this. Jasper has obviously met Demetri before and knows what a formidable vampire he is, so you can imagine what he's thinking is going to happen.**

 **Joan xx**


	29. Chapter 29

**This is it, the final showdown. Are the family going to survive this last confrontation with the Guard? Jasper already knows Demetri from the Civil War and is well aware what a formidable vampire he is, so it's not looking good. Ace must be wondering what the heck he's signed up to and Emmett and Rosalie are just about to awaken, to what?**

 **Here goes...**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY NINE - Meetings**

* * *

"Demetri!" Jasper sighed, as he recognised the fearful vampire standing in the hallway.

Demetri's cruelty was legendary amongst vampires. He didn't take prisoners after a battle and none of his foes lived to tell any tales. Jasper was also aware that he despised the fact that others had led the Guard for the past three hundred years, which was a role he had constantly sought, but Aro had always denied him in favor of others. Now Aro and Didier were dead and it was obvious to Jasper that he had unilaterally taken over the mantle of leader and had come back to seek revenge for the loss of Aro and his brothers.

"Jasper Whitlock," Demetri replied, sounding suprisingly courteous. "It's many years since you and I met on the field of battle. That was a great war."

"That depends which side you were fighting for. I was for the Confederates."

"I wasn't on any side as you know, Jasper. We came for the pickings; we didn't care which uniform they were wearing. When warring humans kill one another it means there are plenty of victims with no questions asked."

Jasper tried to look disgusted, but he had been a true vampire then and had feasted on unsuspecting humans who were then marked down as casualties of war, so he was no better than Demetri and his followers.

"Why are you here, Demetri? I thought the Guard were on their way back to Italy."

"We were on our way back, but I received information that Aro had been killed and your family were complicit in his death. Am I correct?"

"Your information is correct that Aro is dead, along with Marcus and Caius."

Demetri and the other four vampires in the hallway remained unmoved, but he could hear the shocked reactions of the Guard outside on the dunes when Demetri's suspicions were confirmed. Jasper continued,

"Monique and Didier were also with them when they were blown up and burnt in a yacht that belonged to this family. The explosives were meant to kill _us_ , not the Volturi. Their deaths were an unfortunate accident."

"Nevertheless they are dead. Who was responsible for setting the explosives?"

"A corrupt policeman and the Mafia."

"The Mafia! Well, well, well," Demetri quietly laughed. "The plot gets even more interesting."

"I asked you why you were here, Demetri? Now you have an answer to your question, are you satisfied, or do you not believe me?"

"Oh, I believe you, Jasper. Your wife is not the only vampire that has special skills; we have our own methods of looking into the future."

"You mean the Guard knew this was going to happen?"

"No; we had no prior knowledge that Aro would meet his end in this way. We didn't suspect Aro was dead until yesterday. The group who set off first from this house, including myself, were feeding on Inuit fishermen whilst we waited for the others to catch up before commencing the journey back to Italy through Russia. One of our seers realised that Aro had stopped featuring in any future events in Volterra, in other words he had ceased existing, and so had Marcus and Caius. I was curious and ordered the Guard to turn back to find out what, if anything, had happened to them."

Edward and Bella were standing behind Jasper on the stairs and Carlisle and Ace had come out of the study and were watching from the doorway. Alice was still outside the bedroom where she could hear Emmett stirring, but she wasn't prepared to leave the scene to look after him while there was a possibility that Jasper was in danger. As she was staring at Demetri and the others, she was trying to read what they were planning to do to them, but was hit with a wall of nothing and she guessed that one of the five might be blocking her.

Edward however had easily tapped into Demetri's thoughts but annoyingly he was thinking in Greek. Edward knew a smattering of the language through his medical training, but not enough to guess what Demetri's intentions were, but the longer the conversation went on, the more he was convinced that Demetri was not here for a fight.

Edward decided to speak up to show to Demetri that Jasper was not standing alone and he was just as responsible for Aro being on the boat when it exploded.

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry that Aro is dead, Demetri. He fully intended to kill my parents and probably myself and the rest of the family too. Garrett's timely intervention saved us from anhilalation as you well know. Presumably you were on the dunes that day fighting Garrett's coven? Without their help we wouldn't be having this conversation today. So I'm not mourning Aro's loss, but his death was not at our hands even though I'd personally would like to take the credit. Now you know how he died, is there anything else we can help you with, or are you and the Guard just here to finish the job that Aro came to do?"

Demetri shook his head then quietly laughed to himself when he realised that the people in this house thought he was there to exact revenge, whereas the opposite was the case.

"Jasper, Edward. It is Edward, isn't it? The Guard has been trying to get rid of Aro for many years, but his seers have foreseen any plots to kill him and he has ruthlessly destroyed any of us who were planning to remove him. One of our own seers predicted his death many months ago, but we had no clue as to how or when it was going to happen. Now you tell us humans were responsible, which is probably how it escaped Aro's own seers who could only foretell the plots of vampires. We haven't come here to kill you; we've come here to thank you."

Bella and Alice sighed with relief then flung their arms around Edward and Jasper, after which they ran back up to Emmett's room where they could hear signs that he was waking. Carlisle acknowledged Demetri then flew up the stairs past Edward and Jasper so he could check on Esme, who was probably still plugged into the I-Pod and totally oblivious to what had been going on.

Ace stayed put by the study; his eyes fixed on the five vampires. His first thought when he saw them was that they had just walked off the set of _The Lord of the Rings_ , but even he picked up they were dangerous, so he breathed a sigh of relief when it was clear that his life as a vampire was not going to be measured in just a few hours.

Edward and Jasper approached Demetri and shook hands with him and the other four members of the Guard.

"We need to talk to Garrett urgently," Demetri said. "Do you know where he is and how to contact him?"

"Why, what has Garrett done?" Jasper asked.

"Nothing, apart from show outstanding leadership in a dangerous situation. After the 'battle' on the dunes, the Guard heard from Didier how Garrett had stood up to Aro in this house and were astounded that he was prepared to risk his life and the lives of his coven to support you and your family. He was also taking a stand for fairness and common sense amongst vampires which was long overdue. The Guard were impressed by the way he defended you and the loyalty and bravery of his coven who stood beside him. They were prepared to put their lives on the line to support you and Garrett and defend your right to live the way you wanted to. The Guard and therefore the Volturi who remain in Volterra will now be looking for a new leader following the death of Aro and Didier, and we're here to invite him to consider taking on the role."

"What about you, Demetri," Jasper said, sounding surprised. "You are Didier's natural successor."

"Thank you, Jasper, but I don't want the responsibility now. I've been a member of the Guard for well over three hundred years and have seen too much misery and death to continue for much longer. With Aro's passing our world has changed, for the better I hope. Now I want to return to Greece and live on an island in the Aegean with my wife and be a boat-builder again, which is what I was born to do over five hundred years ago."

"It's very sunny in the Aegean, Demetri. You might find that a bit difficult," Jasper pointed out jokingly.

"I'm sure I'll find a way around that. We'll work something out. But there is something else you can help us with as well."

"How on Earth can we possibly help you?" Edward asked.

Demetri hesitated before continuing. He looked behind him at his four comrades for support, but they were staring at the ground, looking uncomfortable and awkward. In the end Demetri bit the bullet.

"It was a taboo subject in Volterra as it was considered to be a sign of weakness, but the majority of the Guard want to live like yours and Garrett's family. What I mean is, they want to give up feeding from humans and live off the blood of animals, either by hunting or farming. We need your advice. Can you help us?"

Edward's mouth dropped open when he saw the sincerity in Demetri's eyes. This menacing vampire whom Jasper had feared when he walked through their door, was ready to walk away from his murderous way of life and was asking for their assistance. Of all the things he expected to happen, this was the most unexpected.

He was just about to respond when they heard a disturbance outside. Demetri quickly turned and opened the door fully to see what was happening, and found Garrett and four members of his coven, two male and two female, standing on the deck.

"What's going on here?" Garrett demanded as he strode inside and stood in front of Demetri in an agressive and confrontational pose. "Are you threatening this family again?"

"On the contrary, Garrett. We're here to congratulate Jasper and Edward and the rest of this family for disposing of Aro for us."

"Is this true, Jasper, Edward, and whoever _you_ are," Garrett said, pointing at Ace, who had been listening, absolutely fascinated, to what was unfolding in front of him.

Jasper nodded and grinned. "I think you and Demetri had better go through to the conservatory and sit down. You might be surprised at what he's got to say."

"I'm going to check on Emmett," Edward said and flew up the stairs, but before he went into the bedroom, he exhaled, then breathed in, then exhaled again and kept on doing that until he felt calm. He didn't need the air, but just the act of breathing took the tension away from his body. He didn't want Bella to suspect how anxious he had been when the Guard burst through the door and he had genuinely feared for his own and his family's lives.

When he saw Demetri for the first time, and picked up on the indisputable fear in Jasper's thoughts, he suspected that the Guard hadn't come to listen to their side of the story, and he, Bella and his family would be killed straight away in retaliation for Aro's death. He had been more apprehensive for his own and Bella's safety this time than when Alec had confronted them on the beach or when Aro turned up with the Guard. But now he was safe, and it seemed as though they had nothing to fear from the Guard now or in the future.

As he stood outside the bedroom door, from where he could hear Emmett stirring and Carlisle trying to calm him, for the first time since he was changed, Edward genuinely felt free of the burden that had attached itself to him when he became a vampire. Living your life with a sword positioned over your neck that could fall at any time if you dared to break one of Aro's arbitary rules, had been part of the price of immortality. Now that the sword and along with it the threat of death had gone, the relief he felt was indescribable. He knew Bella and he could now look forward with confidence to a settled and secure future without constantly listening for a knock at the door.

He walked into the bedroom smiling and was greeted by the sight of Emmett who was half sitting, half lying on the bed, struggling to free himself from Carlisle who was forcibly holding him on one side. Alice was clinging on to the other and Bella was laying across his feet, trying to stop him getting off the bed and they were losing the battle.

"Edward fucking Masen," Emmett yelled at the top of his voice when he saw him. "What the fuck have you done to me?"

Edward shot over to Alice's side to relieve her. As he caught hold of Emmett's arm, he could feel the enormous strength in his limbs and he wondered how Alice or Carlisle had managed to contain him.

"Emmett, relax," he said trying to sound calm. "If we let go of you now you'll smash the house up in seconds. You have no idea how fast and strong you are. Just lie completely still for a few moments."

"What's happened to me, Edward? I can't remember anything other than being shot. Am I in heaven?"

"No, you're in Connecticut. Rosalie is in the next room with my mother. She's fine, but she's asleep at the moment."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes, but only when you've calmed down. Stop struggling and we'll let go of you."

Emmett relaxed and fell back on the pillows. Carlisle was the first to let go then Bella shuffled off his legs, leaving Edward holding on to one arm.

Edward finally released his arm and sat on the edge of the bed. Emmett was staring at the ceiling and Edward could pick up his thoughts very easily. He was re-living the car journey up the track, which was the only memory that was clear in his mind. Then he felt the searing pain of the first bullet and the heartbreak when he saw that Rosalie had been shot. The last image he clearly saw was Edward in the rear view mirror, leaping out of the yellow Porsche and running faster than humanly possible towards the man who was firing the gun, and then everything came back to him.

"You told the gunman you were a vampire; is that true?"

"Yes, it is."

"I asked you to save Rosie; is she a vampire now?"

"Yes, she is."

"Am I a vampire?"

"Yes, you are. So is Bella, and our friend Alice here. Carlisle and my mother are vampires too and so is Alice's husband. It's nothing to fear, Emmett. We'll explain everything when you're up to it."

"It was that or death, wasn't it?"

"Yes, you would have bled to death before an ambulance could reach you. We had no option. I hope you won't regret my decision to turn you."

"If it means I can spend a lifetime with Rosie, I'll never regret what you've done. Thank you for saving us."

"I hope you'll remember those words in the future as life is going to be very different for you from now on, but we will help you; I promise."

At that moment Esme popped her head around the door.

"I think Rosalie's waking up. I'm sure she heard Emmett yelling, which is not surprising. I think most of Connecticut heard him too. You'd better get in here."

Alice and Bella shot out the door while Carlisle and Edward helped Emmett off the bed.

"Slowly does it," Carlisle said as they prevented him from moving too fast.

After a few careful steps, Emmett felt confident enough to walk on his own and he crossed the hallway and into the room where Rosalie was lying on the bed absolutely still. Emmett walked up to her and gasped at her extraordinary beauty.

"Rosie, you look...perfect," he said and he gently ran his hand through her golden hair that was spread out across the pillow and over her shoulders.

He carefully bent over her and delicately kissed her lips, like Prince Charming did to Sleeping Beauty in the fairy story. Rosalie opened her eyes and saw Emmett's face gazing down at her lovingly. The window was open and the morning sun was streaming through and as it touched Emmett's face his skin sparkled.

"Are you an angel, Emmett?" she whispered.

Emmett smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm not an angel, baby."

"Are we in heaven?"

"No, we're in Connecticut, in Bella's house."

Bella walked to the side of the bed and took Rosalie's hand.

"Hi, Rosalie. How do you feel?"

"Different. My body feels totally strange. What's happened to me?"

Bella sat down next to her on the bed, still holding her hand.

"Can you remember being in the Porsche with Emmett?"

Rosalie nodded her head and then her eyes widened and a look of horror spread across her face.

"I was shot; Emmett was shot; why am I not dead?" she cried.

Bella looked at Edward who nodded his head. No time would be the right time, so now was as good a time as any.

"Edward and his father saved yours and Emmett's lives by making you sort of superhuman, like me."

"You're superhuman, Bella?"

"Yes, and it's amazing."

"And I'm superhuman too?"

"Yes."

"You mean, like the Avengers?"

"Um, no. Err... Rosalie, can you remember the TV series that used to be your favorite? It's not on any more."

"You mean Sex and the City?"

"No, not that one."

"Jesus, I can't remember...hold on; I know, Buffy the ..."

Bella waited while the penny dropped.

"Don't be frightened, Rosalie. Being a vampire is not what you think it is. We're actually supernatural, not superhuman and it'll take a bit of getting used to, but you'll be fine."

Emmett moved closer and held her other hand.

"We'll work this out, baby. Don't get upset, we're in this together. It's been a shock, I know, but we'll get through this."

Rosalie looked round at all the worried faces staring down at her, waiting for her reaction. When it came, it wasn't what they were expecting.

"Get me a mirror," she hissed.

Esme rushed off to her dressing table and came back with her make-up mirror and handed it to Rosalie, who was by now sitting upright. She snatched it away from Esme and looked at her face close up and then further away. She widened her eyes when she noticed that her pupils were tinged with red, then she ran her hands over her flawless skin and fluttered her naturally long eyelashes. She examined her teeth, probably expecting to see fangs, but her teeth were as they were before, but maybe a bit straighter and slightly whiter. She pulled the mirror away from her, holding it at arms length so she could take her first look at her golden hair that was now full and thick, which was how her stylist always tried to make it look in the salon but failed, and a small smile spread across her face but she quickly made herself look angry again.

"Back off," she spat as she swung her legs off the bed. She gingerly stood up then walked carefully over to the full length mirror and took a long look at herself.

There was dead silence in the room as Rosalie twisted and turned in front of the mirror, examining every angle of her perfect body.

"Rosalie Hale," she said to her reflection in the mirror after her final twirl."You...look...fricking...awesome!"

She flung her arms up in the air then ran over at lightning speed to Emmett and wrapped herself around him.

"Emmett, my gorgeous, sexy, Incredible Hulk; we're going to have **_so_** much fun!"

* * *

 **Seven days later:**

Christmas had come and gone and Edward and Bella were driving the Cherokee east to west and were now in Washington State. The weather forecast had been good for the journey so they decided not to fly as it would be an ideal chance for the two of them to be together for a few days so they could talk about what had happened since their transformation and make plans for the future. Bella had Skyped Charlie on Christmas Day and told him they would be with them on the 30th and would stay over for a few days, then they planned to visit Seattle so Bella could meet up with Angela and Victoria.

During the long journey they talked about what had happened in the days before Christmas, when the final drama of the incredible last few months unfolded on their own doorstep.

Demetri and the Guard had stayed by the house overnight and had listened respectfully to Jasper when he told them how he had become a 'vegetarian' vampire after many years of feeding from humans. He warned them that there would be occasions when temptation would get the better of them, but to persist as it would get easier with time. Some of the Guard made arrangements to visit the farm where Garrett's friends produced blood for Esme so they could see how it was done and take that knowledge away with them. Others decided to try their luck hunting in northern Canada and Russia before making a final decision to walk away from their previous lifestyle.

Garrett and Demetri had talked for hours about the future of the vampire race, but in the end Garrett declined the offer to take over the running of the Guard and the Volturi. He had no desire to live in a castle in Italy, preferring the hustle and bustle of New York; the city he loved with a passion. He convinced Demetri that the Guard was no longer required as a permanent army and they should go their separate ways and do whatever they wanted to do, within reason. There would still be a code of conduct that vampires would be expected to follow for their own self-preservation, but an iron fist was no longer required in the vampire world. A few of the Guard said they would remain in Volterra for the time being, but the others were ready to scatter to every corner of the globe to live as they wanted to live.

Rosalie, Emmett and Ace had made good progress, but had agreed to be confined to the beach house for at least three weeks until they got used to their new bodies and instincts. When they got back from Seattle, Bella and Edward would start taking them out to mix with the human population to get them acclimatized to their new way of life so they could eventually live independently. Rosalie didn't have any family to contact as she had been brought up by a single mother who had died recently, but Emmett called his family to tell them he'd got engaged and was taking Rosalie on a surprise holiday to the Caribbean, so wouldn't be back for Christmas. He hadn't decided what to tell his family yet as he needed to come to terms with it himself first, but there was no desperate rush.

Edward had offered Rosalie and Emmett jobs in his lab, so they would both have to resign from the University and CSI respectively and as they were unable to give notice, they would both be in breach of contract. Both of them felt guilty doing this, but there was no alternate solution. As soon as they could trust themselves being among people, they would join the staff of Masen Research as medical scientists.

Tom's body had been found five days after Edward left him behind a dumpster, and now Boston was on high-alert for the Seattle serial killer who they thought had struck again. Ben had asked for compassionate leave from the lab to be with his family and Edward said he could take as much time as he needed.

On the day after Christmas, Ben admitted to Edward in a phone call that he had suspicions Tom had been spying on his lab. He had discovered a surveillance device on a shelf and presumed it was Tom who had planted it. He was planning on confronting Tom when they went home for Christmas and if he admitted it, he would demand to know whether he was doing it for financial gain or just plain devilment.

Edward now knew why he had begun to mistrust Ben after previously having no qualms about his loyalty, as Ben had been holding on to that knowledge not knowing what to do with it. But events had overtaken Ben, and whether or not he would have told Edward about Tom being a spy was now immaterial. Edward finished the call by thanking Ben for his honesty and pretending that he would carry out a sweep of the rest of the building just in case it wasn't Tom who had planted the device.

Now that Ace was a vampire, Edward had sat down with him on Christmas Day and told him all about his feud with Tom and how he had died. Edward also told Ace, Emmett and Rosalie the full story of Peter being the Seattle serial killer and how Anthony had become a danger after he started examining samples from the vampire's arm which was why he had to be stopped. Ace's mouth was hanging open most of the time as the stories unfolded and Emmett and Rosalie were first of all amazed that a vampire had been stalking Seattle without anyone realising or even considering it, then accepted that nobody in their right mind would think it was a _real_ vampire, not just someone pretending to be one.

Carlisle and Edward had been asked to visit the local precinct on Christmas Eve and were interviewed by the FBI. Brad's body had been found in the forest and the blame for the explosion on the boat and the murder of the two women in the shop was pinned squarely on him through his contacts with the Mafia. A brief autopsy for the death certificate stated that his neck had been broken due to severe whiplash and the case was immediately closed. Neither the FBI or the local police force wanted a drawn out investigation that would put law enforcement in a bad light with the community and Brad's involvement with the Mafia was completely hushed up so the press didn't get hold of it. The local newspapers and TV stations therefore guessed wrongly that Brad had suspected that CSI Connecticut had been involved in obtaining evidence for his ex-wife so she could divorce him, and had suffered a mental breakdown due to stress, resulting in him taking his anger out on the CSI's detectives and their families. The police or his ex-wife didn't bother correcting them.

Once the Mafia hierarchy realised that about twenty of their men had disappeared without trace overnight, all hell broke loose in New York as a bloody battle for control of the gambling joints around Atlantic City ensued. Garrett's coven reported that certain parts of the city were no-go areas with guns going off all night and bodies being found everywhere, including Mario's, whose bullet-ridden corpse was fished out of the Hudson by the River Police. Eventually the fighting stopped and normality returned to the shadier side of life in the Big Apple and any involvement Masen Research had with the Mafia was forgotten when Mario hit the water.

Alice and Bella decided their days as private detectives were over. CSI had been a nice idea, but it had raised the profile of the family too much in the community and the risk of exposure was not worth it. Alice would continue to be an anonymous informant if she foresaw any heinous crimes in the future, but that was the limit of their crime-fighting activities for the moment. At least Alice had made a good friend in Annalise Simpson, and after Christmas they planned to spend some time going through her extensive wardrobe. Bella declined the invitation to take part; she said she couldn't think of anything more boring.

The family's biggest problem over the Christmas holiday was Madonna, who, like the diva she was named after, was used to having her own way in all things and was not happy sharing her living space with a feisty cat. After their initial meeting, where Molly had hissed and spat at the intruder, Molly now waltzed passed Madonna, taunting her to retaliate, knowing that one swipe of her claw would put her back in her place as the lodger in _her_ home. Fortunately Madonna's living arrangements were only temporary as Ace planned to go back to his own house once he'd got used to his new status and felt confident that he could be trusted around humans. He had invited Emmett and Rosalie to move in with him until they got their own place and they had happily accepted.

The long drive west was nearly over and as they drove away from Port Angeles heading towards Forks on the last leg of their journey, snow was starting to fall on top of the fresh snow that was already there. Bella and Edward were still reflecting on what had happened to them since the last time they were here, and could now laugh about all the ridiculous things that had happened to them since becoming vampires. They had been to hell and back since Alice and Jasper had told them that their lives were in danger, and that was when they were sitting in Bella's flat in Seattle, feeling absolutely terrified after they had discovered that Alice and Jasper weren't human. Now they could look forward to life without fear, as long as they were discreet about their lifestyle.

The sign for Forks appeared in the road and Edward put his free hand on Bella's lap so she could hold it.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Bella nodded her head, but actually she was dreading what was going to happen next. She had asked her dad not to have a welcome party waiting to greet them; she just wanted to see him and Sue on their own. He had agreed and Bella was hoping she could trust him.

They turned onto the road leading to Charlie's house and Bella was relieved to see that only Charlie's police car and Sue's mini were in the driveway. As they pulled up, Edward leant over and kissed her on the cheek.

"This is it then, Bella. No more lies remember."

"That's right, Edward. No more lies."

The front door opened and Charlie sprinted down the slippery pathway and flung open Bella's door.

"Bella, so good to see you. Come and give your old man a hug."

Bella slid out of the Cherokee and put her arms around her father and buried her face in his chest. He smelled of aftershave and fish and gun cleaner and beer, a cocktail of scents that brought back thousands of memories. Bella wanted to hug him tighter, but she knew she would probably kill him if she did.

"Dad, I'm sorry I've been away for so long."

"You're here now, Bells; that's all that matters. Come inside, you're freezing."

Edward had collected their bags from the trunk and walked up to Charlie, holding his hand out for him to shake.

"Hello Charlie, good to see you again."

Charlie shook his hand then looked at him quizzically.

"You're freezing too, don't you have a heater inside that flash vehicle."

"Shall we go in out of the cold then?" Edward suggested with a smile.

Charlie put his arm around Bella's shoulders and walked her into the house. Sue greeted them indoors and took their jackets. After Edward put their bags upstairs they all went into the living room.

Bella sat on the sofa opposite Charlie who was now staring at her face.

"Bella, are you wearing contact lenses?"

"No, dad."

"What the hell has happened to your eyes? The only decent thing you ever got from your mother was her eye color. Hold on a second; Edward, why are your eyes the same color as Bella's. What's going on?"

Edward looked over at Bella and smiled at her encouragingly and she knew he was giving her permission to tell her father the truth.

"Dad, I've got something important to tell you. You might be shocked, but you must let me finish the story without interrupting. Before I start, I want to tell you now that I'm happier now than I've ever been, so will you promise to listen to what I've got to say?"

Charlie looked at Sue and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, Bells, I'm all ears. Fire away."

Bella took a deep breath, even though she didn't need it, and started the story, which was going to be a long one.

"Dad...it all started when those two hikers found an arm in the forest."

* * *

 **The End**

 **(apart from the Epilogue)**

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the story and a huge thankyou to everyone for their reviews and guesses. I have really enjoyed reading them.**

 **There will be wedding bells (obviously), some fun and games and some nice surprises in the Epilogue and, I promise, no more disasters!**

 **Joan xx**


	30. Chapter 30

**Hi, I'm back from holiday/vacation/no access to internet (aaargh). I hope you didn't mind waiting for the (very long) Epilogue but I wanted to be at home when the story was complete so I could respond to any reviews straight away.**

 **Anyway, here we go - a wedding, a bit of drama (isn't there always at a wedding), a nice surprise for a supportive friend and a lovely wedding present for Bella - enjoy xx**

* * *

 ***** THE EPILOGUE *****

* * *

"Vampires? You and Edward are Vampires? I still can't get my head around it, Bella."

Charlie laughed and shook his head in disbelief as he took a final look at his daughter in her wedding gown before they stepped out onto the lawn of Cullen House, where over a hundred guests were already seated, waiting for the music to start up and the ceremony to commence.

"And me and Emmett," Rosalie called out from the other side of the room where Angela was adjusting the bow on the back of her wedding gown for her.

"And me," Alice added as she twirled like a ballerina in front of the mirror in her pink silk and chiffon bridesmaids dress.

"So I'll have 'vampire-esses' all around me when I walk you two down the aisle to meet your vampire husbands-to-be?"

"Yes," Rosalie replied excitedly. "Luckily none of us are hungry!"

"Good grief," Charlie chuckled. "I'm living in a fairy tale."

"And this one has a 'Happy Ever After' of course," Bella added with a cheesy smile.

Bella stood up on her tiptoes and kissed her father on the cheek. It was almost six months since she'd broken the news to him in the living room in Forks, and now she was marrying Edward in the twilight hours of Midsummers day. It was a joint wedding, as Rosalie was marrying Emmett at the same time, so the family and friends waiting expectantly on the lawn were the nearest and dearest for both couples, but only a select few knew their secret.

As Bella waited for the signal to step outside to where Edward was waiting for her, she recalled that snowy December afternoon when, at the end of the story about Peter's arm and Anthony's experiments, she had broken the news to Charlie and Sue why she and Edward had to become vampires.

* * *

"Vampires? You and Edward are vampires? I don't believe it. This is a wind-up, isn't it?"

"No, dad, it's true. Edward and I are vampires."

"What the heck do you mean by that and why the hell did you _have_ to become vampires?" Charlie spat, looking venomously at Edward as though it was his responsibility.

This was the first time Charlie had interrupted Bella and Edward as they related their story, starting from when Charlie called in CSI Seattle to take a look at Peter's arm, to the point when Aro insisted they become vampires or die. He had almost cut in when Edward was relating the part when Jasper and Alice told them what they were and that Peter was the Seattle serial killer, but he had humored them, until they related the conversation with Aro that happened in the beach house.

"Dad, we had no choice. It was either that or Aro would have killed us and Edward's parents, and possibly Alice and Jasper who used to live in Cullen House."

"I get that part of the story, but vampires are monsters; they live off human blood, don't they? Don't tell me that you have to kill people to survive; I'm not going to accept that, no way, no way."

"Don't panic, Charlie," Edward cut in. "We live purely on animal blood. We either hunt for them in the forest or we drink farmed blood, which is a method Bella and I are considering adopting permanently rather than killing animals."

"Farmed blood? Who the heck has a farm that just produces blood?"

"We have vampire friends who run a farm in New York State. They keep animals just for that purpose. They learned how to extract blood from animals without harming them from the Masai tribes people in Africa. The Masai drink blood from cows as they believe it makes them stronger, so it's not so unusual."

"So you don't kill people?"

"No. Jasper used to, but he doesn't anymore."

Charlie frowned at this, as his law enforcement training was making him think about the implications of that statement, but he dismissed it for the moment as there were more pressing matters to deal with, like his daughter had just told him she was a vampire, and vampires didn't really exist in the real world, did they?

But Bella and Edward didn't look like they were messing with him, and there was no doubt in his mind that the Bella who was sitting in front of him was not the Bella who kissed him goodbye when she left Forks for Connecticut. Her eyes were golden brown instead of green, her skin was flawless, her hair was fuller and thicker and her skin was freezing cold. Edward's acne marks had disappeared, his eyes were the same color as Bella's, he was annoyingly even better looking than when he last saw him and he was freezing cold too. There were other subtle differences too, so whether or not they were vampires, something had happened to them since he last saw them and he needed to find out more.

"Okay. So supposing I believe you, what else do I need to know about vampires? I thought they could only go out at night or they'd turn to stone and you could only kill them by driving a stake through their hearts. Is this true, or is that just Hollywood?"

Bella rolled her eyes and laughed.

"We can go out in the daylight, obviously, but if we stand in direct sunlight our skin shimmers and that looks a bit weird, so we have to be careful not to draw attention to ourselves and only go out if it's overcast."

"Hmmm. Anything else?"

"We can run very fast," Edward added, "and we're, sort of, immortal."

"What!"

Charlie jumped to his feet and backed away from them; his eyes popping out of his head. Sue got up from her chair and grasped his arm as he stared at his daughter and her boyfriend like they had both grown another head.

"Calm down, Charlie," Sue said in a gentle and caring voice. "Just listen to what they've got to say."

Edward had picked up on Sue's thoughts and he could tell that she wasn't shocked at all. Sue was part Native American, and what they were saying came as no surprise to her. She knew plenty of stories that had been passed down by the tribe's elders about blood-drinking immortals that stalked the reservations at night, but even though she was amazed at the story her step-daughter was telling her, she accepted that she had been changed into a vampire and that it was something that had happened and had to be dealt with.

Edward put on his doctor's voice and spoke authoritatively.

"Our bodies have been changed radically so the cells don't deteriorate like normal human being's. We can still be killed by fire or if our bodies are dismembered by force, but apart from that we can look forward to infinite life if that's what we want. My father is still coming to terms with that, but he's warming to the idea, now that my mother is almost normal again."

"Your mother! I thought she was suffering from dementia?"

"She was, but becoming a vampire cured her. It's been a long process, but she's 95% back to normal now. She still has moments of feeling insecure, but for all intents and purposes she is like any other middle-aged woman. Becoming a vampire also cured my father's cancer, so Bella and I are both very sorry that we originally told you that he'd been mis-diagnosed."

Charlie made his way back to his chair and sat down on it hard like his legs had given way. Sue dashed in the kitchen and got him a can of Vitamin R from the fridge, because a drink was what he needed at the moment.

Charlie downed about half the can in one gulp then sat quietly as all the information Bella and Edward had given him over the past hour or so settled into his overloaded brain, including a vampire being the Seattle serial killer. He drunk the rest of the can in another gulp so Sue went back to the fridge and got him another one.

"What else haven't you told me?"

"Only one other important thing that is really quite sad," Bella said quietly. "Edward and I will never be able to have children."

Charlie's eyes widened and he stood up again, then walked over to Bella and pulled her off the sofa and hugged her, noticing for the first time how different her body felt in his arms, which was the final confirmation that Bella was telling the truth.

"Bells, I'm so sorry," he said. "You would've been a great mom."

"I know, dad. I'm sort of coming to terms with it, but I've still got Edward, and he's a big kid at heart."

Edward chuckled at that statement but he recalled their conversations about never being able to be parents, and it was the one thing that both of them deeply regretted but could do nothing about.

Charlie went back to Sue and sat down again as Bella snuggled up to Edward on the sofa.

Charlie was obviously starting to accept that the world was not the place he thought it was but he couldn't help asking the following questions, unsure what the answers would be.

"I'd like to know what I'm dealing with here, you two. Are there any other supernatural creatures that I should know about, like fairies at the bottom of the garden, or trolls hiding under bridges? If I went down to the woods today, would I be in for a big surprise?"

"No, Charlie," Edward replied when he stopped laughing. "There's nothing else in North America that's supernatural that we know of, but Jasper said he heard there used to be werewolves in Alaska and Canada and parts of northern Europe, but they haven't been seen or heard of for centuries so they've probably died out by now.

"Werewolves, good Lord, I wouldn't want to meet one of those. What about numbers; how many are there in the United States and are they all animal feeders?"

As for numbers, we don't know. There's about a hundred in New York and quite a few in Alaska and the southern States, but we don't know about the rest of the country; probably five hundred or so in total. We do know there are quite a few communities in Europe and some in South America. Most of the vampires in New York and Alaska are animal feeders, but the rest we don't know how they live."

"About five hundred you say; that's a hell of a lot if even half feed from humans." Charlie's policeman's hat was back on and he was wondering how two hundred and fifty vampires sustained themselves without the loss of life being noticed.

"If vampires are immortal then, how old are Jasper and Alice for instance?" he asked next.

"Alice is over a hundred now and Jasper is at least a hundred and seventy five we think, but that's just a guess."

"They certainly look good on it. What about this Aro asshole. How old is he?"

"Allegedly over two thousand years old, and his brothers were a similar age."

"My God, he could've known Jesus! Have you asked him?"

"No, we haven't. Anyway it's a bit late now."

"Why?"

"He's dead. It's a long story, Charlie, but we'll tell you everything one day. At the moment we've just told you the tale up until we were changed but there is more to tell. Lots of things have happened to us in the last few months, which is why Bella and I haven't been able to visit until now."

Charlie shook his head in disbelief. His whole concept of what was real in the world had been turned on its head. Vampires belonged in story books or horror movies, not in the living room of a house in Forks, Washington.

"Why didn't you tell us before, Bella? Sue and I could have helped you during the last few months."

"I told you, dad; it was Aro's rule that no human should know of our existence, but Aro is gone now, thank God, and the whole hierarchy of the vampire world has changed. We're able to tell people we trust now without fear of retribution. But even though there's no danger in us telling you that we're vampires, we would be grateful if you'd keep it to yourselves as we'd end up being a freak-show if it got out."

"No worries, Bella. Sue and I won't say a word to a soul, you can count on that. It's not something you bring up in polite conversation. Hey Billy, can you go fishing on Friday and guess what, Bella's been turned into a vampire."

They all laughed at that scenario, but Bella could tell that her father was not saying what he was really thinking, which was totally understandable. She needed to talk to him on her own and she hoped the opportunity to do that would come sooner rather than later.

But Edward knew what Charlie was thinking, and other than being supremely worried about his daughter, the one thought that was going through his head was...

"What the heck is Renee going to say?"

* * *

Bella and Edward were lying on the bed in her room. The wind was howling outside and plump snowflakes were flying past the window almost horizontally. The likelihood was they would be snowed-in tomorrow and possibly for a few days afterwards, but it didn't matter; in fact it prevented any visitors coming to the house while they were there, so that was a good thing.

Charlie had hardly altered Bella's room since she left home to go to University in Seattle over ten years ago and memories good and bad came back to her as she lay on the bed, especially the nights after the Prom when she cried herself to sleep after Edward left without saying a proper goodbye. Now Edward was lying next to her, and tomorrow he was going to ask her father whether he could marry her.

They hadn't told Charlie yet that they didn't need to sleep; he'd had too much to compute already without his head exploding with one more gem of information. So after the initial shock, they'd backed off telling him anything else about their new way of life until he got more used to the idea.

"He's taken it remarkably well, hasn't he?" Bella whispered into Edward's chest.

"Yes, but I think having Sue here has helped. She's definitely on our wavelength so she'll be able to talk to him about it when we're gone. At the moment it's all new; he hasn't had time to really think of the implications.

Edward's cell pinged to say he'd got a message. He flipped it open and saw Jasper's grinning face staring at him. The message read...

"Has Charlie tried to kill you yet?"

Edward text back...

"No, after the initial shock he's surprisingly calm about Bella being a vampire. The worst is still to come though."

Jasper replied...

"What's worse than your daughter becoming a blood-sucking demon?"

Edward text back...

"I'm going to ask him if I can marry her."

Jasper replied...

"Hahahahahaha! It's been nice knowing you!"

Edward flipped his cell shut and pulled Bella close to him. He wanted to make love to her, but this was Charlie's house and he wasn't going to disrespect him; he'd had enough shocks already without inadvertently overhearing his daughter having sex with her boyfriend.

He was confident that Charlie would be happy to welcome him into the family, especially now that Bella's field of possible suitors had reduced somewhat. However Charlie had been reasonably well-behaved in front of Bella when they told him what had happened to them; it might be a different story when Charlie had time to think of the consequences and he got him on his own, which was probably why Charlie had invited him to go fishing the next day, and the words he had used when inviting him implied that he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

* * *

 **The following morning…**

"So you want to marry _my_ Bella, eh!"

"Yes, sir. I love her very much and she says she loves me, so we would like to make it official. I promise to look after her and be faithful to her."

"Forever?"

"Yes, sir."

Charlie and Edward were sitting on a rock by the edge of a stream that ran through the forest and was only a short distance from Charlie's house. The roads were impassable because of the snow, so Edward and Charlie had trudged through the woods where the snow was not so thick to get to one of Charlie's favorite fishing spots.

The picturesque stream was the same one that meandered through the forest and through the grounds of Cullen House, which was only a couple of miles away as the crow flies. Edward recalled playing by the stream when he was a little boy and being fascinated by the wildlife that would come to bathe, drink or play in the pristine water. Today the icy stream was so clear you could easily see the gravelly bed, but the fish population was either hiding in the weeds or taking refuge behind rocks because they could see the shadows of predators on the surface. Charlie had gone there with the intention of fishing, but his rods were still lying on the bank unused as Edward hadn't hung about; as soon as they arrived at the spot he'd asked the question.

"Forever would normally mean fifty years, or sixty if you were lucky, Edward. Forever has a totally different meaning now. You get where I'm coming from, don't you?"

Edward nodded his head as he had expected this question.

"Yes, Charlie. At the moment, to me, forever means exactly that. I cannot imagine my life without your daughter, but I can't promise you how I'm going to feel in a thousand years from now, if that's what you're implying. I can't promise that Bella won't get fed up with me either. All I can say though is that at this moment she is my life; I want to marry her and I will do, but I would prefer to do so with your blessing."

Charlie sat and pondered Edward's request. He wasn't going to say 'no' to him. Edward was everything he hoped to have in a son-in-law, apart from him being a vampire, and there was no doubt Bella loved him and he loved her, but he couldn't compute what 'forever' meant now. When he married Renee he thought it was forever, but after a few years together their love died. He didn't want that to happen to Bella, as he imagined the world would be an even scarier place for a single female vampire, especially after the rest of her real family had died.

"You have my blessing, Edward, but while I'm on this earth you'd better look after her, as vampire or not, I'll be a hundred times scarier than Aro if you do anything to hurt my girl."

"I have no doubt that you would be, Charlie. You have my word that I'll love her until the end of the world."

Charlie held out his hand to Edward and they shook, then he picked up a rod and threw it at him.

"Okay, Edward. The first lesson on how to be a proper son-in-law is to learn how to fish. Now here's what you do..."

* * *

Edward was standing at the end of the aisle looking at the lines of friends and family gathered to witness the weddings that were about to take place as soon as the girls were ready. He was nervous, but Emmett, who was standing beside him, was in bits. "I can't even have a fucking drink," Emmett whispered, but unfortunately within the earshot of the priest who was officiating, which drew a hard stare from him.

Edward looked at the smiling faces that were all expectantly turned in their direction. He picked out the small number of human guests that were aware that the four people getting married today were vampires. There was Sue of course, who was sitting next to Renee, who had practically needed mouth to mouth resuscitation after Bella told her she was a vampire. Renee had promised, without hesitation, to keep the secret, even from her husband, as primarily and quite selfishly she was worried that her social-standing in the privileged circles she now inhabited would plummet if word got out that her daughter was a supernatural being! She was happy though to broadcast that Bella was marrying the extremely wealthy Edward Masen and that was also compensation for Bella's wedding being relatively low-key.

Emmett's parents were in the know. They had been in denial for a while but had now come to terms with the situation, even though they weren't happy. Emmett's younger brother, Ethan, desperately wanted to be changed as well, which was a slight problem as he was quite immature and irresponsible, so in the end Emmett reluctantly had to threaten him that monsters from Transylvania would tear him limb from limb if he disclosed the secret to anyone. Ethan believed him and so far had kept his mouth shut.

The only other 'human' who knew was Angela, who had been shocked when Bella told her; her main concern being Bella's wellbeing, mentally and physically. She had assured Bella that it didn't alter their friendship; in fact it made it stronger as she was the only 'human' friend Bella now had. Angela was delighted when Bella asked her to be a bridesmaid with Alice and was looking forward to meeting Bella's extended family and vampire friends.

Sitting in the second and third rows on the left was the vampire contingency, consisting of Ace, looking very dapper in an immaculate deep blue Italian suit. This was only the second time Edward had seen him without a soccer shirt on; the first time being his job interview. Madonna and Molly had both made the journey to Forks, but they were locked in separate rooms in the house while the festivities were going on.

Next to Ace was Garrett who had just arrived in the nick of time. He was wearing black leather pants and matching tuxedo-style jacket with a white open-necked silk shirt. With his dark good looks and piercing eyes he might as well have had the word _'Vampire'_ tattooed on his forehead as he looked as though he'd just walked off a horror movie set after seducing countless willing victims. Jasper, who was best man for both Edward and Emmett, noticed Ace's eyes nearly popping out of their sockets when he saw Garrett take his seat, but Jasper knew without doubt that Garrett was exclusively a ladies man as he was still searching for 'the one', so Ace would have to be subtly informed that any efforts on his part with Garrett would be a waste of energy.

With Garrett were two of the New York coven who ran the farm, Liam and Siobhan. They were husband and wife and had become good friends to Bella and Edward over the past few months. Next to them was Demetri with his stunningly beautiful wife, Claudia, who looked as though she had just stepped out of an ancient Greek fresco. Finally there were several members of the Denali coven who had given their support to Garrett when Alec tried to kidnap Alice.

On the opposite side of the aisle was a small contingency from CSI Seattle, including Victoria and Leah. Bella had considered telling Victoria that she was a vampire, but decided against it because the serial killer still hadn't been caught (he never would be), and she wasn't entirely confident that Victoria wouldn't blow the whistle on them when she put two and two together. Also, Victoria was still a bit put out that Edward had poached Emmett from her staff, even though she was happy that Emmett and Rosalie had got engaged.

Behind them were the Masen Research contingent, including Jane and John, who had recently got married themselves, plus Ben and his new girlfriend, Beth. Ben had taken a while to get over his brother's death, throwing himself into his work as a distraction from what had happened. Beth had started work in the lab fairly recently and they had hit it off straight away, especially as she was a devout Christian like Ben. After the wedding, Ben was planning to go straight back to the lab to continue with the experiments Edward had recently commenced using diluted venom to treat the symptoms of dementia. The first results were looking very encouraging, but it was too early to say whether it was definitely the beginnings of a cure.

Edward spotted his parents coming out of the house so he knew it was time for the ceremony to begin. Emmett had sat down again and had his head in his hands so Edward kicked his ankle and hissed, "Get up you idiot; Rosalie will tear you apart limb from limb if you're not waiting for her."

Emmett rose to his feet just as the music started and as they both straightened their tuxedos, the bridesmaids appeared at the top of the aisle, followed by the girls who were wearing incredibly beautiful white lace wedding dresses, and Charlie, who was bursting with pride.

All faces turned to the wedding party as they slowly walked towards the expectant grooms. The bridesmaids came first, scattering rose petals along the aisle as they progressed. As Alice and Angela walked past the row where the vampire guests were sitting there was a sudden disturbance as Garrett made a strange noise then dropped to the ground and curled up in a fetal position.

Tanya Denali rushed to his aid and bent over to him to find out what had happened.

"Get me away from here," Garrett hissed. "Get me away from that girl."

"Which girl?" Tanya whispered so quietly that only vampires could hear.

"The human bridesmaid. Her blood is driving me insane; it's calling me. Get me out of here before I kill her."

Tanya stood up quickly and smiled then spoke aloud so the humans could hear.

"Sorry for the disturbance. Garrett feels unwell; we'll just take him into the house. Please carry on."

Angela couldn't hear the conversation between Tanya and Garrett, but turned to Alice as she could see the worried expression on her face. Alice had overheard what Garrett had said and was ready to protect Angela if Garrett lunged for her but he was already being manhandled away from his seat.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not exactly sure, Angela. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," she lied.

"Who was that guy; he's gorgeous!"

Alice's eyes widened as a vision of the immediate future flashed across her mind, and then she leaned over and whispered in Angela's ear.

"That's Garrett. He's a vampire from New York. I've a feeling you and Garrett are going to get quite friendly before the end of today."

Angela whispered back.

"I'm up for that, but I thought vampires didn't get sick though?"

"They don't, apart from being love-sick, so I can't wait to see how this turns out."

* * *

Liam and Siobhan took hold of an arm each and lifted Garrett from the ground and escorted him back to the house at normal pace then out again through the front door at lightning speed, going deep into the forest so they were as far away from the wedding as possible. Tanya followed them out and as soon as Garrett confirmed he couldn't smell Angela anymore, they stopped to talk.

"Oh my Holy God!" he exclaimed as he wiped venom away from around his mouth. "Who is she?"

"Bella's friend, Angela. She knows Bella's a vampire so all may not be lost, Garrett."

"I can't go back out there; her scent is driving me insane."

"You _can_ go back in there and you will. Just stay here for the moment and get a grip of yourself and then slowly move closer to the house. Get acclimatised to her scent and stay in control. You _will_ be able to do it, Garrett. You've just had a shock."

"No-one has ever affected me like that before, Tanya. What am I going to do if she doesn't want to know me?"

"Then, Garrett, you'll have to make a supreme effort to make sure she does then, won't you?"

* * *

Charlie was aware that some sort of vampire-incident had taken place. He knew where the supernatural contingent was sitting and even though he had got used to the idea of vampires being in his vicinity, he was understandably quite nervous for himself and for Sue and even for Renee. Bella and Rosalie were still smiling, so obviously whatever had happened wasn't that important, so he set off again towards Edward and Emmett who were both gazing at their future wives, probably a bit too lustfully for his liking.

He passed Rosalie's hand to Emmett, who was shaking like Jell-O, but before he passed Bella's hand to Edward, he lifted it to his lips and kissed it.

"Isabella, I know Edward will love you just as much as I do and I trust him to look after you forever, but while you're still mine, give your old man a hug."

Bella handed her flowers to Alice and threw her arms around him.

"I love you, Daddy," she whispered.

"I love you too, Bells. Always have and always will."

Charlie laid his hand on top of one of hers and gently pulled it away from him, then passed it over to lie in Edward's hand.

"Remember, sonny," he hissed, in a pretend-menacing voice, "A pissed-off megalomaniac called Aro is nothing compared to a pissed-off father-in-law called Charlie."

The priest's eyes rolled back in his head and then he coughed to clear his throat. It was about time this show got on the road so he opened his book and declared to the congregation...

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here together in the sight of God...

* * *

 **Meanwhile in the forest...**

"Holy shit, what's happening to me?"

Garrett was crawling on the ground, trying to get nearer to the house while attempting to get desensitised to Angela's scent. The individual aroma of a hundred other humans was in the air, but now he had experienced the full effect of Angela's scent, he could easily pick it out and it was exquisite. Venom was still pooling in his mouth, but not at the rate it was at first when it was pouring down his chin. It helped that Angela had been at the house overnight and had walked in the grounds this morning before getting ready for the wedding. Her scent was everywhere, so he was drinking it in like a man who'd been drowning and was now above the water, gasping for breath. He was on his own in the forest as he'd sent Tanya and his friends back to the house to watch the rest of the ceremony after convincing them that he was in control, even though he wasn't. He needed to do this on his own and also he hated them seeing him in such a state.

He made it to the wooden bridge over the stream and stopped at the spot where he could sense that Angela had been standing this morning, and as he drunk in more of her, he recalled Jasper telling him about when he had first been aware of Alice's presence in New York all those years ago. He said her scent had hit him like a freight train and he'd had to find her before the day was out as it was driving him to distraction. Garrett had always thought Jasper was exaggerating, but now he was experiencing a similar overwhelming sensation.

Jasper had the advantage that Alice was already a vampire so there would have been no danger when he found her, but Garrett was being compelled to either drink every drop of Angela's blood, or change her into a vampire so he could make love to her and exchange venom. However he knew that if he bit her now he wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing her, as once a drop of that excruciatingly sweet blood touched the inside of his mouth that would be it. He would completely lose control. Angela would be dead and he would either have to live the rest of his eternal life knowing he'd killed his singer, or convince some of his vampire friends to end his life for him.

It would be too much to hope that Angela would want anything to do with him. He was a five-hundred year old vampire whereas she was a young, beautiful girl, probably with a good career and no doubt a happy life ahead of her. She might also already have a lover, or a husband; he had to find out. He had to make himself get back to the party to discover whether or not he had any chance of being with her.

He struggled to his feet and took a few steps towards the house, forcing himself to inhale as much of her scent as possible. His head was spinning and he felt as though he was going to fall forwards, so he clung onto a tree until he could see clearly. He took a few more steps forward and some more gulps of air and he could tell controlling himself was getting easier. He stayed near to the house until he could hear that the ceremony was over as everyone was clapping and cheering. As he took another few steps closer, Tanya appeared next to him and linked her arm through his.

"Come on, Garrett. You can do it. Come back to the party. We'll watch out for you so if you feel as though you're losing control, we'll get you out of there."

"Okay, Tanya. Lead the way. I'm going to stop breathing and try not to talk, so don't initiate any conversation with me for the moment."

They slowly walked around the outside of the house towards the rear lawn. Garrett made Tanya stop a couple of times while he focussed his mind elsewhere, but as they turned the final corner to where the garden and the wedding guests came into view, standing in a line was every vampire that had been invited, including the two newly married couples. In the middle of the line was Angela, the sole human, still holding onto her bouquet of flowers.

Jasper and Ace moved at the speed of light and grasped hold of Garrett's arms as they could see he was losing control.

"What are you doing to me," Garrett hissed, looking at the group as though they had all betrayed him.

Angela looked embarrassed for a moment then stepped forward from the line. Garrett could see that Alice and Esme had hold of her arms, ready to whisk her away if he lunged for her. He turned his head to one side as he couldn't bear to look at her and also he didn't want his vampire friends to see how distressed he was.

"Garrett," Angela whispered. "Look at me, Garrett."

Garrett turned his face around and their eyes met for the first time. He saw that Angela's soft brown eyes were filled with concern and compassion, and also something else. Could it be desire? He couldn't tell as his brain was in overload.

"Alice has told me what's happened to you. My blood is singing to you and you believe I could be your soul mate. At the moment your body is craving my blood but your mind is craving my love and companionship. Am I right?"

Garrett nodded his head, frightened to open his mouth and breathe in her scent.

"I don't know you, Garrett, but I was instantly attracted to you when I first saw you. If you are the man for me, I will seriously consider changing to be with you as I know from Bella that there is nothing to fear. Alice has seen a vision of us in the future but will not say in what capacity. It's for us to create our own destiny. Are you happy with that?"

Garrett nodded his head again and smiled.

"Jasper, Ace, do you have a firm grip on Garrett?"

They both nodded their heads and looked slightly confused, but then realised why she had said that.

Angela walked forward on her own and gently touched Garrett's face with her fingertips.

"You're beautiful," she said, then quickly and delicately kissed his lips, turned on her heel and walked away.

Garrett sighed, then his knees gave way and he was on the floor with Jasper and Ace next to him and they stayed there until Angela disappeared from view.

"Oh God, give me strength," Garrett mumbled then covered his face with his hands.

Edward turned to Bella and kissed his new wife on the top of her head.

"Can't have a wedding without a bit of drama, can you?"

"No, Edward. But if that's the only drama that's going to happen then I'm happy. I think we'd better go back to the wedding now and pretend to eat all that lovely food that's been prepared."

Edward laughed then picked her up and carried her back to where all the guests were assembled, leaving Jasper and Ace to sort out the quivering wreck that was Garrett, the lovesick vampire.

* * *

The celebrations were nearly over. Bella was in what used to be Edward's bedroom, changing into her 'going-away' outfit. Alice was helping her pack the final things in her bags then checking the room to see if she had forgotten anything.

Bella was looking out of the high window onto the garden where the guests were slow-dancing to Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On', which was the song she'd been forced to dance to with Mike Newton at the Prom, then Edward had intervened when Mike molested her. That had been the moment where Edward's protective instincts had kicked in and he had felt like a hot-blooded male for the first time in his life, and what followed from then on had shaped her future. When Edward kissed her for the first time that night, he brought her to life. Then, after he left her, she had searched for another man who could make her respond like that again. She had nearly married Jacob, but ended it when she accepted she would never be happy with him. That was almost a year ago to the day; so much had happened to her since then.

"Oh My God!" she exclaimed, as she looked down on garden.

Alice rushed over to the window, just in time to see Garrett taking Angela's hand and lead her onto the dance floor. He pulled her close to him and buried his face in her hair, then swirled her around in time to the music. Jasper, Ace and Edward were watching him closely, ready to pounce if he lost control, but all was well and the dance ended and they walked off the floor hand in hand.

"What's going to happen to them, Alice?" Bella asked wistfully.

"Angela will fall in love with him, she'll become a vampire and they'll live happily ever after."

"Really?"

"I don't know; I haven't seen that far ahead so I'm just guessing. I wouldn't be surprised though," Alice replied knowingly. "Garrett said to me once that he wished he had half of what Jasper and I had, which was a lovely thing to say. Five hundred years is a long time to be on your own so I hope Angela does fall for him. Anyway, Bella, no time for dreaming, it's time to go on your honeymoon. Has Edward told you where he's taking you yet?"

"No, but he told me to pack for sunshine."

"I hope it's somewhere isolated then."

"I'm sure it will be. Let's go."

Bella walked out into the garden where Edward was waiting for her. All the guests had gathered at the front of the house to see them off so they strolled hand in hand to where their car was waiting. As they turned the corner of the house, they were showered by rice, confetti, rose petals and other odd items like baby soothers, Viagra and condoms. When they eventually got to the car, Charlie was waiting to give his daughter a final hug. Edward shook his hand then walked back to say goodbye to his parents.

"Come here, Bells," Charlie said, trying to hide the emotion in his voice.

Bella snuggled into his chest. He still smelled like Charlie, even though Sue had covered him with cologne to get rid of the smell of fish that seemed to hang around him all the time.

"Thanks for everything, Dad, and for being so understanding."

"You're my baby, Bella. I'll always be here for you, you know that."

"I know; you're the best Dad ever."

"You have a wonderful honeymoon with Ed... your husband and call me when you get home. But before you go, I have something for you."

Charlie reached inside his jacket and pulled out an envelope.

"What's that, Dad."

"It's your wedding present, but I don't want you to open it until you're a long way away from here. It's a surprise; I hope you'll like what's in there."

"I'm sure I will. Thanks."

Edward walked up to Bella and put his arms around her.

"Time to go, new wife. Say goodbye to everyone."

Bella waved to the guests as they got in the car and carried on waving as they slowly drove away from the house. Rosalie and Emmett would be leaving in about half an hour for their honeymoon, which was also a secret, so they blew them a kiss as they drove past and then they were finally on their own.

Bella waved the envelope in the air.

"Dad gave me this just now. Do you know what's in it?"

"Yes."

"Can I open it now?"

"No. He said to wait until we got to where we're going."

"Spoilsport."

Edward laughed and took the envelope from her and put it inside his jacket and patted it.

"This stays here until I say so."

"God, you can be so bossy sometimes. Is this what I've got to look forward to, Edward?"

"Yep!" he replied with a smirk.

* * *

Edward skilfully docked the speedboat at the end of a jetty which served a private island in the Caribbean. The island was owned by a Rastafarian vampire called Laurent who was one of the New York coven and an old friend of Garrett's. He lived on the island from November to March when the dark New York winters got too much for him, even though he didn't feel the cold.

Edward picked Bella up and carried her like the new bride she was into the house but as he now had his hands full, Bella swiped the envelope from his jacket and waved it in the air.

"Can I open this now," she said pleadingly.

"Yes, but let's go outside and sit on the very nice terrace I can see from where I'm standing."

He set Bella down on her feet and she dashed across the house and through the doors opposite to where there was a high balcony overlooking a sensational view of the bay. His plans to have a romantic moment with her as soon as they arrived had to be put on hold as he knew she would never rest until she found out what was in the envelope.

Bella sat down on one of the loungers. The sun was shining on her exposed skin and she was sparkling in the light, but Edward guessed that she would be sparkling from the inside as well as the outside when she read what was in the letter.

Bella slid her finger under the flap and pulled out one sheet of paper. In Charlie's spidery writing she silently read what he had written and when she got to the end, her hand flew up to her mouth and then she screamed.

"Oh My God, Edward. Did you really know about this?"

"Yes, my darling. I've known for a long time."

Bella rushed over to Edward and flung herself in his arms.

"Now all my dreams have come true. I can't tell you how happy I am."

Bella let go of the letter which fluttered to the ground. As she kissed Edward passionately, the words that Charlie had written replayed in her head.

 _Dear Bella,_

 _I hope you and Edward have a truly memorable honeymoon. After all you two have been through, you deserve to have a wonderful time together, on your own for a change._

 _After Edward asked for my blessing, I had to consider what 'forever' meant to you two. Being immortal means that you will experience many many more happy times than a human would ever have in a normal lifetime, but it also means you will have to endure many more sad times too._

 _Life will sometimes not be easy, as you will have to suffer the pain and heartbreak of losing people you've grown to love over and over again. It's difficult enough in a normal lifespan when you lose friends and family; to have it happen again and again will be harsh. You have Edward and your vampire friends_ _I know, but when Sue and I and your mother die, you will have no family left, so you'll be on your own._

 _You need some more stability in your life, which is why Sue and I have come to a decision. When I retire from the force in a few years' time, we have decided to become vampires so that we'll always be there for you if you need us._

 _Edward is a good man and I trust him, but I'm determined to be around to make sure he looks after you, FOREVER! If for some reason he doesn't, you'll still have your old man to love you._

 _You can thank me properly when you get home. By the way, the last time you hugged me you cracked one of my ribs!_

 _Have a wonderful honeymoon,_

 _Love you Bella,_

 _Dad xx_

Bella picked up the note off the floor and read it again, just to make sure she hadn't imagined it, then she laughed out loud.

"Happy now?" Edward asked.

"Blissfully, thanks. I can't think of anything else that would make me happier than I am at the moment."

Edward stroked her hair and kissed her on top of her head and looked up at the Caribbean sun and smiled to himself as he thought of something else that would be the cherry on top of the frosting on top of the cake.

"I can," he said to himself. "I just need to find a way to make Molly an immortal cat, then life would be just perfect."

He couldn't help chuckling and Bella looked up at him.

"What are you laughing about, husband."

"Nothing important, wife, but there's a big, comfy bed in there with crisp white sheets and a nice headboard I wouldn't mind wrecking. So if you're up for it?"

"What are you waiting for then, husband? We've only got a few thousand years ahead of us; let's not waste another moment of it."

* * *

THE END

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the final two surprises. Garrett has hopefully found his soul mate and Charlie has decided to become an immortal. I wonder if they'll invite Renee to join the vampire club (I doubt it).**

 **Thanks again to those of you who have taken the time to review - as I said before, it really has been a joy reading all your guesses and comments. You are all amazing. Until the next time...**

 **Best wishes,**

 **Joan xx**


End file.
